Danny Dyer, Emily Atack and David Tennant led a host of celebrities attending the premiere of the second series of Rivals in London on Wednesday. The Disney+ show, set in the high-stakes world of British television against the backdrop of the Cotswolds, brought together cast members including Aidan Turner, Nafessa Williams and Katherine Parkinson at the BFI Imax.
Atack, who plays Sarah Stratton, described the series as a 'love letter' to the late Dame Jilly Cooper, whose novel inspired the show. Cooper died unexpectedly aged 88 last October during filming. 'All we want to do is make her and her family proud,' Atack told the Press Association.
Rufus Jones, who plays Atack's husband Paul, said Cooper was 'so involved' she saw some rough cuts of the second series. 'She was a mate by the end of it. It's still a big loss,' he added.
Atack noted that her character, a second wife and former mistress, is often written in a 'one-dimensional way', but the writers gave her 'nuance'. She said it was her 'dream' to 'flip that typecast on its head' and show that such women are 'real' and have reasons for their mistakes.
Following the premiere, the cast celebrated at Spencer House in London. The second series of Rivals will be available on Disney+ from May 15.
