My relationship with Rivals is as on and off as an affair with Rupert Campbell-Black

But another character is saving it for me

Oh, Rivals. I’m all over the place with it. The ups and downs, thrills, disappointments and then renewed joy I’m experiencing with it, is like having an affair with Rupert Campbell-Black.

When I first heard that one of my favourite books by one of my favourite authors was happening as a TV show, with darling Dame Jilly’s breathless support, I was beside myself.

To the point that next week I’m going to a live event with her talking about it – and members of the cast. Thrillingly, we don’t know which members yet.

(I do hope Katherine Parkinson is one of them. I so adore her and she’s marvellous in it.)

Then I saw the casting for RCB and like every Jilly Cooper fan I know, had a total WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? moment.

Rupert Cambell-Black is blond, with ‘Cambridge blue eyes’, one of the great hot hero descriptions of fiction. It pinned him to the page like a specimen butterfly.

And yet here we are with this – utterly gorgeous – but raven-haired actor.