5 h. ago Revealed: How Dame Jilly Cooper died in the hours after falling at Grade II listed home in The Cotswolds

The novelist was taken to Gloucester Royal Hospital after a 999 call was made to the ambulance service on late Saturday afternoon.

Events

6 h. ago ‘Absolutely divine!’ How Jilly Cooper changed the world – one bonkbuster at a time

Her romances were so intelligent, raunchy and outrageously readable that she created her own category, bewitching generations of readersJilly Cooper, who has died unexpectedly at the age of 88, sold 11m copies of her various epic books over her half-century of writing. Beloved of anyone with any sense over a certain age (45), she was introduced to a new generation last year with the Disney+ adaptation of Rivals.Cooper purists would have preferred to watch the Rutshire chronicles in order: starting with Riders, first published in 1985, in which Rupert Campbell-Black, cad, heartbreaker, rider, is first introduced. But that’s a sidebar – what was striking about seeing Rivals as a box set was how well Cooper’s universe had aged. The chronicles distilled the 80s: the shoulder pads and puffball skirts; the obsession with class, aristocrats sneering at the Technicolored nouveau riche, both ignoring everyone else while they snipped about how warm their champagne was; the sexual politics, wi...

Politics

6 h. ago Jilly Cooper tributes from racing trainers who helped inspire her best

Jilly Cooper, who has died at the age of 88, loved going to racing stables and courses while she was writing her novels. The Queen said the much-loved author was “wonderfully witty and compassionate”

Politics

7 h. ago Jilly Cooper Obituary: ‘Queen of the bonkbuster’ who wanted to write ‘happy books’

Dame Jilly Cooper, novelist. Born: February 21, 1937. Died: October 5, 2025, aged 88

Politics

7 h. ago Jilly Cooper's raunchiest bonkbusters, from Riders to Rivals

The best-selling author has died at 88, leaving behind a legendary legacy of literary filth

Politics

8 h. ago Tributes pour in from Rivals cast in honour of Dame Jilly Cooper

The author, who was known for her ‘bonkbusters’ including Riders, Rivals and Polo, died unexpectedly Sunday morning after a fall.

Politics

10 h. ago ‘Jilly Cooper was the absolute queen’: writers pay tribute to the beloved author

The writer was an astute observer of English class – and a champion of complicated female heroines• Jilly Cooper, author of Rivals and Riders, dies aged 88• Share your memories of Jilly CooperJilly Cooper was a genuinely merry soul, with a gimlet eye and a determination to see the best in absolutely everything; even when her life was difficult, she brightened every room with her spaniel hair. What fun she had and shared with us, and what a wonderful legacy she left. Continue reading...

Culture

10 h. ago ‘Queen of joy’: Dame Jilly Cooper honoured by Rivals stars after death aged 88

Renowned author is being remembered as a ‘magical woman’ by cast of the hit Disney+ adaptation

Politics

10 h. ago Teachers called her unholy terror & bosses sacked her 20 TIMES, but Jilly Cooper forged an empire by breaking ALL rules

KING Charles may have made her a Dame for services for literature but Jilly Cooper was the undisputed Queen of the Bonkbuster. Jilly, who died on Sunday, age 88, in a fall at her home in the Cotswolds, was best-known as author of the raunchy Rutshire Chronicles – a series of novels about bonking, horses...

Events

10 h. ago Rivals: How Jilly Cooper’s riotous bonkbuster brought us the ultimate unexpected love story

Danny Dyer and Katherine Parkinson were the unexpected heart of the hit Jilly Cooper adaptation, writes Helen Coffey

Politics

11 h. ago ‘A bit silly’: What TV bosses got wrong about Jilly Cooper’s wonderful books

‘A group of people saw Jilly’s work as naff but another group saw it as dangerous and sexy,’ said ‘Rivals’ showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins

Culture

11 h. ago 'Queen of the bonkbuster' who brought sex to Middle England's bookshelves: Dame Jilly Cooper

The Rivals author was famed for her raunchy romance novels, selling more than 12million books in her career.

Politics

11 h. ago Jilly Cooper: from train crashes to affairs — a scandalous life well

The author made her name writing racy novels, but her life was almost as interesting as those of the characters in her books

Events

11 h. ago Jilly Cooper's Rivals and other 'bonkbusters' that became huge screen hits

Jilly Cooper, who became known for her multi-million selling bonkbusters, has sadly died at the age of 88 following a fall but here we take a look back her biggest hits that made it to the big screen

Events

11 h. ago Queen Camilla’s tribute to ‘legend’ Dame Jilly Cooper after author’s death aged 88

Queen Camilla has paid tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper after the author died aged 88, describing her as a 'legend' and a 'wonderfully witty and compassionate friend to me and so many'

Culture

11 h. ago Queen Camilla’s tribute to ‘legend’ Dame Jilly Cooper after Rivals author’s death aged 88

Queen Camilla has paid tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper after the author died aged 88, describing her as a 'legend' and a 'wonderfully witty and compassionate friend to me and so many'

Culture

11 h. ago Rivals stars Emily Atack and Alexander Hassell lead cast paying tribute to 'wonderful and divine Queen' Jilly Cooper following her death aged 88 after her racy novels inspired the hit Disney+ show

The novellist, whose book of the same name inspired the hit Disney+ series, died after a fall, her family announced on Monday.

Events

12 h. ago Camilla’s tribute to ‘legend’ Dame Jilly Cooper after author’s death aged 88

The ‘bonkbuster’ author died after a fall on Sunday morning, her children announced.

Culture

12 h. ago 'May Jilly Cooper's hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs': Queen Camilla pays heartfelt tribute to Rivals author after her death aged 88

Camilla issued a statement hailing the national treasure author as a 'legend' and a 'wonderfully witty and compassionate friend'.

Politics

12 h. ago This Morning stars stop ITV programme to announce death of 'friend of the show'

The ITV talk show paid tribute to Rivals author Dame Jilly Cooper following her death

Events