4 d. ago Camilla's tribute to the fallen: Queen visits war memorial near her Wiltshire estate and pays tribute to WI for creating 10,000 flowers to display for Remembrance events

Queen Camilla wrapped up warm as she visited a moving poppy display honouring the heroes of World War II in the Wiltshire town of Corsham today.

Politics

1 week ago Jilly Cooper visited the set of Rivals series 2 just days before her death

Rivals star Alex Hassell has revealed that Dame Jilly Cooper visited the set of series two just days before she died, aged 88, earlier this month

Events

2 w. ago Alex Hassell reveals Rivals season two will pay tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper after author’s death aged 88

The British actor also teased what’s in store for his character Rupert Campbell-Black in the Disney+ series

Culture

2 w. ago The Guardian view on Austen and Brontë adaptations: purists may reel, but reinvention keeps classic novels alive | Editorial

The appetite for onscreen versions of much-loved literature is endless, but dogged faithfulness to a text is not the only way to stay true to authors’ spiritIt is a truth universally acknowledged that every classic novel must be in want of a sexed-up adaptation. Ever since Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy waded out of the lake in a wet shirt in the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice adapted by Andrew Davies, we have expected the undercurrents of novels to be writ large on screen: the novel is dripping in sexual tension – who knew? No one objects when Jane Austen’s couples kiss on TV, although it never happens on the page. But we are reluctant to imagine more troubling historical realities, such as maternal mortality, or where the fortunes behind the big houses came from.As part of the 250th celebrations of Austen’s birth, Davies shocked audiences at the Cliveden literary festival last week with revelations that he is working on versions of Emma and Mansfield Park that will include death...

Politics

2 w. ago & Sons review – Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton’s riveting showdown rescues a laborious plot

London film festival: Nighy stars as a boozy literary has-been and Staunton his estranged wife in Pablo Trapero’s unconvincing adaptation of David Gilbert’s 2013 novelNo movie with Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy can be entirely without interest – and they’re heading up a mighty cast here under the direction of the great Argentinian film-maker Pablo Trapero, making his English-language debut. He has co-written the screenplay with another A-lister: Canadian actor and director Sarah Polley. And yet the resulting picture, adapted from the 2013 novel by David Gilbert, feels nebulous and laborious. It is dependent on a giant twist-reveal, which is bafflingly implausible and strangely uncompelling even if taken at face value, and which tends to undermine the emotional reality of the whole film and its big confrontation scenes – though there is one riveting showdown between Staunton and Nighy, two black-belts each at the top of their game. Nighy is Andrew Dyer, a cantankerous old literary l...

Events

2 w. ago Rivals resumes filming after the death of Dame Jilly Cooper as series stars reveal their on

The stars of Rivals are back on set in Corsham, Wiltshire a week after the unexpected death of writer Dame Jilly Cooper.

Culture

2 w. ago ‘After the reading, the poets hold each other’: what happens when Ukraine’s largest literary festival comes under Russian attack

Fiona Benson was invited to Lviv’s BookForum by Ukrainian poet-soldier Artur Dron’. She recounts falling in love with the city and its thriving literary culture, before an air raid siren soundsI had been working on Exeter University’s Ukrainian Wartime Poetry project for two years when the invitation came to travel to the country’s largest literary festival. I didn’t exactly relish the prospect of a journey to a war zone, but I was assured that visiting BookForum in Lviv, a city so far west it’s practically in Poland, would be safe. I had been leading poetry workshops with exiles and editing translations of Ukrainian poetry, including soldier Artur Dron‘’s collection We Were Here, published last November. So, when Artur and his translator – the incredible poet Yuliya Musakovska – asked me and language professor Hugh Roberts to attend, I couldn’t say no.What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with the city: its gorgeous architecture, its cafes, its parks full of trees, and its write...

Events

3 w. ago Queen Camilla remembers her old friend Jilly Cooper as she chats to Salman Rushie at opening of Cliveden Literary Festival

Speaking at the opening of the historic annual event at Cliveden House in Berkshire today, she recalled an iconic quip from her old friend and author Jilly Cooper, who died last week.

Politics

3 w. ago Queen pays tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper at literary festival

Camilla quoted the ‘queen of the bonkbuster’ who has died aged 88.

Politics

3 w. ago BBC University Challenge fans ask 'how did you know' after Jilly Cooper tribute

University Challenge fans were left feeling "spooked" as the BBC show aired a tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper on Monday

Culture

3 w. ago University Challenge airs Jilly Cooper tribute hours after death as fans left 'spooked'

University Challenge aired a tribute to Dame Jilly Cooper just hours after her death was announced

Events

3 w. ago Jilly Cooper's funeral details from champagne and chocolates to renowned orchestra

Beloved author Dame Jilly Cooper, who was often referred to as the 'queen of the bonkbusters' for her scandalous novels, has died at the age of 88 following a fall

Politics

3 w. ago Eamonn Holmes claims he inspired ‘devilishly handsome’ character in one of Dame Jilly Cooper’s novels

The GB News host spoke about the exchange after news of the bestselling author’s death aged 88

Culture

3 w. ago BBC The One Show live broadcast halted as Alex Jones shares sad death announcement

BBC The One Show stars Alex Jones and Roman Kemp paid tribute to "amazing writer" Dame Jilly Cooper during the latest show following the author's sad death aged 88

Events

3 w. ago Dame Jilly Cooper ‘changed the way we read books as women’ – Angela Rippon

The broadcaster was friends with the author.

Culture

3 w. ago Jilly Cooper described as 'one of the kindest women' in emotional tribute

Dame Jilly Cooper, who was known for her "bonkbusters" including Riders, Rivals and Polo, died on Sunday after a fall at her home - and tributes have been paid to the author

Politics

3 w. 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

3 w. 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

3 w. 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

3 w. 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