Naked tennis matches. Quickies on board Concorde. Fooling around beside a chicken coup.
These are just some of the scenarios that play out in the first few episodes of Disney+’s Rivals.
But while they might sound far-fetched, Cotswolds locals have said the reality of living in the countryside is just as raunchy… that is, if you’re part of the ultra-wealthy elite.
Rivals, which is based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s 1988 novel of the same name, follows the tense rivalry between polo-loving lothario Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and cut-throat TV boss Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant).
Since the eight-part series was released last week, residents of some of the UK’s most picturesque towns and villages have lifted the lid on their adventurous sex lives – and they certainly wouldn’t look out of place in one of Cooper’s books.
Killing Kittens, which organises female-centric sex parties, hosted the Killing Kittens Ball (pictured) in a country mansion on the Oxfordshire border. Held on a Friday night, the event attracted many people from the surrounding areas, according to Killing Kittens founder Emma Sayle
In 2010, a fake sign in Barrow Wake in the Cotswolds Hills directed tourists to an ‘official dogging area’ (pictured). It was soon torn down by angry locals
Rivals’ executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins has said of the show’s raunchy content: ‘There’s a willy for every pair of t***’ – and that proves true 22 minutes in when Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack) and Rupert engage in a love match in the buff’
However, others have claimed wealth and class still comes up trumps in the Cotswolds – with only the upper echelons gaining access to the rampant sex parties that are depicted on screen.
As for those on the other side, life isn’t quite so glamorous – with youth unemployment continuing to rise and local celebrity Daisy May Cooper describing the area as ‘hell if you’ve got no money’.
Here FEMAIL uncovers the wild side of the sleepy Cotswolds villages in the wake of the Rivals revival – and the bleaker reality for those in less fortunate financial situations.
‘Swingers who would throw sex parties with a lamb casserole bubbling away on the aga’
During her time studying at Hartford Agricultural College, company director Esther Fox says her friends’ romantic lives were just as raunchy as the Rivals screenplay.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Esther explained how her social group lived by the saying: ‘If the horse box is rockin’, don’t come a-knockin’!’
Describing how she lived through an equally thrilling drama of her own, she added: ‘There were affairs left, right and centre – people bedding their horse trainers, horny huntsmen, hornier agricultural students, and swingers who would throw sex parties with a lamb casserole bubbling away on the aga. It was wild and totally like [the Dame Jilly Cooper novel] Riders.’
Meanwhile, Chris Roberts MBE – who is the former mayor of Fairford – suggested that while the parties are ‘held behind closed gates’ residents’ antics are well known.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Chris said: ‘There have been several parties that I have heard about. Obviously, the organisers or participants try to keep it quiet, but these things do leak out. It is a close-knit community in the Cotswolds in more ways than one!’
The Killing Kittens Ball (pictured), which took place in a country mansion on the Oxfordshire border, also attracted local single mothers, according to founder Emma Sayle
Emma Sayle (pictured), 46, is the Founder and CEO of The Wearekk brands, which include Killing Kittens, Safedate, Sistr and The Sisterhood – places where women can explore their sexuality in a safe environment
The former mayor, who held the office from 2005 to 2007, added: ‘Many of the parties are held behind closed gates!
‘Several gated communities in the Cotswolds for the rich and famous host parties, weddings, birthday parties for their illustrious guests.’
Chris, who now runs Chris Roberts MBE PR, recalled that a supermodel based in the area ‘had the local roads closed when she got married, so that the press and other undesirables could not get into the village.’
She also remembered ‘a famous actor who lured young local men to his bedroom with various inducements,’ stating that he became ‘the talk of the town’.
Asked why she thought the Cotswolds had a particularly saucy reputation, Chris highlighted the preponderance of ‘affluent celebrities’.
She explained: ‘I think that probably the Cotswolds has more of a raunchy reputation than many other areas in Britain and it probably boils down to the fact that it is an area that is home to many affluent celebrities.’
Chris Roberts (pictured) was the mayor of the village of Fairford in the Cotswolds between 2005 and 2007. During her tenure she was aware of parties – even if they were ‘held behind closed gates’
Emma Sayle, founder and CEO of Killing Kittens, a female-centric sex party business told FEMAIL: ‘It’s true to say that where there’s wealth there’s the rise in hedonism, after the pandemic we also saw people realising that you have one life, and it’s there to be lived and the demand grew…
‘We’ve seen an increase of interest from people in rural areas, attending sex parties, embarking on adventures… trying out new things sexually.
‘Our recent Killing Kittens Ball took place on the Oxfordshire border, in a country mansion on Friday night and we saw many attending from the local areas.
‘Four of my single female mum friends live in the Cotswolds and drove along to attend the mansion.
‘We really are seeing a massive rise in midlife women attending across all our big country parties. The next one takes place on the Berkshire/Oxfordshire border. We also just launched KK home for the wealthy male so the demand is there!’
‘Cotswolds beauty spot becomes a dogging destination’
Gone are the days when retirees would flock to the countryside for a quieter way of life – according to writer Plum Sykes, the Cotswolds is where the ultra-wealthy move to flaunt their success (stock photo)
Barrow Wake is nestled in the Cotswold Hills and boasts spectacular views across Gloucestershire — on a clear day you can see across the Severn Valley to Wales.
But while it’s been celebrated for its rare honey-scented musk orchids and abundant butterfly population, the stunning area of Cotswolds countryside is now most famous for being a popular dogging destination.
The area attracts those who like to have sex in cars or outdoors, sometimes in groups, with strangers looking to join in, or voyeurs watching from their vehicles.
In 2010, a fake sign directing tourists to an ‘official dogging area’ was torn down by angry locals.
Much to the horror of residents in the nearby village of Birdlip, the pandemic and restrictions on everyday life exacerbated the problem. Every night, scores of cars congregated at Barrow Wake, rows of headlights beaming through the darkness — their flashes visible for miles — in a sordid light show.
Speaking to BBC News in July 2020, Birdlip local Simon Laurens said the issue had become ‘so blatant’ and said the ‘worst times’ to stumble upon couples was during lunch breaks and after work.
Describing how it was a ‘beautiful place’, the resident said he ‘absolutely will not walk’ in the area now.
He said: ‘I find it quite offensive. It’s the fact that it is so blatant. And then of course you notice the mess – a lot of condoms and tissues, wet wipes all manner of stuff that goes with it.’
Women dress up for horse rides ‘like they’re going to the ball’
Gone are the days when retirees would flock to the countryside for a quieter way of life – according to writer Plum Sykes, the Cotswolds is where the ultra-wealthy move to flaunt their success.
Speaking to the BBC, the ex-Vogue employee explained: ‘I started to sense a few years ago that a bit of the Cotswolds had become really glamorous and over the top, and was actually getting a bit out of control.
‘Women going on a hack (a horse ride) dressed up as if they’re going to a ball, helicopters landing at sports day. When the spending and the lifestyle starts to get out of control, that’s when it’s ready for satire.’
Earlier this year, Gemma Maclaran – who is the Cotswolds expert at Middleton Advisors – said that Cotswolds estate agents were ‘seeing a rise of enquiries from southern European second home buyers’.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the expert said: ‘French buyers in particular go for Georgian properties. The tall ceilings and well-proportioned rooms are quite Parisian, I suppose.’
Meanwhile, Parisian socialite Marie Faure-Ambroise described living in the Cotswolds as ‘living out an English film cliché: putting your Barbour and Hunter wellies on to walk in a rainy village.’
In 2021, Rightmove reported that searches for properties in the Cotswolds more than doubled – with the house prices in Wotton-under-Edge going up by £40,000 on average.
Local estate agent Rupert Sweeting said: ‘After experiencing being cooped up during the multiple lockdowns with a small or no garden, city dwellers quickly realized the benefits of moving to the countryside.
‘The abundance of well-equipped towns and villages in the Cotswolds means that these urban buyers are able to achieve their dream countryside retreat without having to completely isolate themselves.
‘Additionally, having the likes of Soho Farmhouse and Daylesford Farmshop, whilst only ever being approximately an 1 ¼ hrs – 1 ½ hrs from the centre of London is certainly an attraction for many buyers.’
Samanah Duran, who lives in Bourton-on-the-Water and runs BEYOUROWN a members’ club for women in business says the Cotswold has a ‘seductive charm’ that can ‘pull you in’.
She told Femail: ‘There’s certainly a low-key sophistication to the Cotswolds, however it’s the blend of tradition and modern appeal that makes it so captivating. It’s less about being ‘saucy’ and more about the subtle, seductive charm that pulls you in.
‘While I’m not personally involved in such sex parties, private events of all kinds can happen within the Cotswolds community.
‘These parries are pretty discreet and tend to happen within a trusted circle of friends. Needless to say there are dogging sites within a stone’s throw of each other.
‘In contrast to the bed-hopping 1980s, today’s Cotswolds scene feels more refined as opposed to the roll and rock, with celebrities opting for a quieter, more sophisticated allure.
‘It’s not necessarily that the antics have disappeared —they’ve just evolved. In a world where image is everything, discretion has absolutely become the new currency of fame.
‘I believe it to be a reflection of how celebrity culture has matured — fewer crazy wild nights, more pub lock-ins, with curated moments and late night antics.
‘Living in such a beautifully affluent area without the same level of financial privilege can definitely pose some social challenges, especially when your wealthy friends are incredibly sociable.
‘Whether it’s Daylesford Private Members gym or the local gym, a nearby pub for a casual bite, or full on dining out at a chic restaurant, the cost of simply enjoying life here can be overwhelming in the Cotswolds. Mind you, I would always advise anyone to not live beyond their means’.
But it’s hell if you have no money…
That said, this area of countryside isn’t quite so glamorous if you haven’t got the budget to stop by Soho Farmhouse or buy your groceries at a Daylesford Farm Shop.
In May, the Office for National Statistics found that youth unemployment in the Cotswolds continued to rise from two percent to 2.6 per cent this year.
Earlier this week, Daisy May Cooper said The Cotswolds ‘is hell if you’ve got no money’ as she opened up about growing up in the wealthy area.
The comedian, 38, who rose to fame after both writing and starring in the hit series This Country, has never felt the need to move to London and still lives in the West Country.
Talking about life in The Cotwolds in an interview with The Times she confessed: ‘[It’s] hell if you’ve got no money. You’re surrounded by wealth.
Daisy was raised in a tiny two bedroom council house with her parents and brother Charlie but her new-found wealth has only partially changed her lifestyle (pictured in This Country)
Daisy May Cooper joked The Cotswolds ‘is hell if you’ve got no money’ as she admitted to previously having a ‘chip in her shoulder’ over wealth
‘My parents have such a chip on their shoulder about wealthy people in Range Rovers barging everybody off the road. I had a chip for a while. I’m not like that now.’
Daisy, who is thought to have pocketed £2 million in the last two years, spoke about her attitude to wealth now, with the star explaining that while money can’t buy happiness it does bring choices.
Daisy was raised in a tiny two-bedroom council house with her parents and brother Charlie but her newfound wealth has only partially changed her lifestyle.
She joked: ‘Now I’ve got great linen. That doesn’t mean I’ve turned into a t**t. I have nice food. Who would I be trying to impress by having s**t food?
‘I still do stuff considered working class, like I prefer caravan holidays so the kids are entertained. If we went to Soho Farmhouse, they’d be bored. You pick and choose.’
Daisy also revealed that she tried her hand at owning a Range Rover, even though she can’t drive. She joked that she bought the luxury car for £90,000 in cash and lost £40,000 when she sold it.
This Country first aired on BBC Three in February 2017. The mockumentary followed cousins Kerry and Kurtain Mucklowe around a neglected town in the Cotswolds as they created trouble while out of work.
The siblings have previously revealed that they ‘had nothing’ when they started writing the comedy and ‘couldn’t even afford McDonald’s’.
Daisy and Charlie had been working as cleaners at the time, and had been earning approximately £100 per month for the work.
Elsewhere, a report published on Rural Services Network by Dr. Stephanie Denning, assistant professor at Coventry University, details the challenges faced by residents living in rural communities in North Cotswolds.
A local resident named Julie said living there was ’embarrassing’.
‘In the area that we live in, I think to put your hands up and say I’m really struggling here… you feel judged’ she added. Another resident, David said: ‘We don’t have disposable income but it’s how it is’.
Dr Denning added that local residents often feared asking for help due to the stigma associated with poverty in certain areas of the Cotswolds.
Full frontal nudity, THAT titillating tennis scene and bare bottoms galore: All the raunchiest moments in Rivals as fans praise new Disney+ ‘bonkbuster’ as a ‘masterclass in storytelling’
Steamy scenes between the racy residents of Rutshire left viewers gasping this weekend as Jilly Cooper’s long-awaited new bonk-buster TV series Rivals debuted on Disney +.
The eight-part series, hailed as the sexiest thing to hit our screens this year, is set in 1986 and follows the cut throat world of television, focusing on the tense rivalry between polo-loving lothario Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant).
Just nine seconds into the show, two people join the Mile High Club – in the toilet of a Concorde.
During several parties and luncheons in Lord Baddingham’s country pile, steamy affairs and star-crossed yearnings between the residents of the aptly named county of Rutshire are explored.
At the centre of the romp fest is dishy Rupert, a Conservative MP who legions of women – married or unmarried – are trying to seduce.
In the first episode, one female character brazenly announces: ‘I’m one of the few women around here who hasn’t been ravished by Rupert’.
Disney+’s adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s 1988 bonkbuster Rivals – which centres around an ongoing feud between regional TV station controller Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) and ex Olympian turned Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell)
Ahead of the show’s release, executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins warned viewers there’s an ‘equal opportunities’ approach to nudity and suggested viewers will see ‘a willy for every pair of t***.’
According to Disney+, Rivals is a ‘joyously mischievous rollercoaster ride, steamy in its love stories’.
From passionate love making on Concorde to the balcony of a Spanish villa and even a chicken coop, the eight-part series has certainly set pulses racing.
A SUPERSONIC START: MILE-HIGH MISCHIEF ON CONCORDE
It’s no surprise that Concorde, the supersonic passenger jet that could get you from London to the Big Apple in just three hours, provides the backdrop to a very saucy opening encounter.
Just nine seconds into the Disney+ adaptation, Cooper’s sex-obsessed protagonist is seen getting up close and personal with Fleet Street journalist Beattie Johnson (Annabel Scholey) – who’s wearing a perfectly 80s candy pink skirt suit, sunglasses and red stilettoes – in the aircraft’s compact loo.
Rupert’s buttocks introduce the show, thrusting over tabloid hack Beatrice, who has her heels nowhere near the floor and her matching red nails plunged into her lover’s skin.
According to Disney+, Rivals is a ‘joyously mischievous rollercoaster ride, steamy in its love stories and packed with larger-than-life characters’
The first scene of episode one of the Disney+ adaptation of Dame Jilly’s book sees Rupert Campbell-Black’s buttocks take centre stage before he coolly emerges to saunter back down the aisle to his seat
Jilly Cooper fans took to X to voice their excitement over the series starting with such a steamy scene
A champagne cork pops to mark Concorde’s ascent to a mile high, and moments later the cabin crew begin to wonder why the occupied sign is still on.
Shortly after a flustered-looking Beatrice emerges to take her seat followed by Mr Campbell-Black, smooth-talking the cabin crew and winking at another female passenger as he saunters back down the aisle.
One stunned viewer said: ‘The first scene of Rivals was a man’s cheeks.’
Another added: ‘I’m only eight minutes into Rivals but it’s just as expected. Huge fun. I imagine younger folk might find it problematic but it’s certainly the rollicking bonkbuster I thought it might be.’
ANYONE FOR TENNIS? RUPERT AND A FRIEND’S WIFE PLAY TENNIS IN THE BUFF
If the opening scene introduces viewers to Rupert’s thrusting backside, by the time the first episode is 22 minutes in, there’s a whole lot more to see.
A famous scene in Dame Jilly’s original 1988 book sees Rupert playing one of his favourite sports – tennis – ‘sans clothes’, and it’s enough to make viewers go as red as the strawberries at Wimbledon.
Rivals’ executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins has said of the show’s raunchy content: ‘There’s a willy for every pair of t***’ – and that proves true 22 minutes in when Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack) and Rupert engage in a love match in the buff
A full frontal featuring the lothario Olympian turned Tory MP hits viewers right between the eyes during the first episode
While the character of Sarah flees when the naked match is interrupted, Rupert is happy to converse with his 18-year-old neighbour Taggie O while in the buff
One viewer joked that they watched Rivals ‘for the plot’ but instead posted shirtless pictures of stars Aidan Turner and Alex Hassell
His opponent in the match, which takes place on a secluded court in the grounds of his country pile, is Tory WAG Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack).
She’s married to the wife of Deputy Prime Minister Paul Stratton (Rufus Jones) but that doesn’t seem to worry either her or Rupert too much – and she too has also been very much liberated from any kind of tennis attire.
As the pair argue about whether a ball is ‘ten inches over the line’, their game is interrupted by 20-year-old neighbour Taggie (Bella McClean) – while Sarah flees into the undergrowth, Rupert is entirely unfazed by his nudity.
One viewer was lost for words, simply declaring: ‘THE NAKED TENNIS SCENE!’
A CLOSE ENCOUNTER IN THE CLOAK ROOM
While sipping champagne at a stately home in episode two, ex-Olympian Campbell-Black swaggers out of the dining room and into the cloak room with Sarah – his on-again off-again lover.
During the steamy sequence, the other diners are watching Sarah on television.
She is being interviewed about her scandalous relationship with deputy prime minister Paul Stratton who she worked for as a secretary.
The heated cloak room affair is interrupted by a mortified Taggie O’Hara (Bella Maclean), who is Declan O’Hara’s eldest daughter
A similar high-risk romp takes place between production assistant Daysee Butler (Lara Peake) and disgraced Hollywood star Johnny Friedlaender (Adam Rotherburg) in the studio’s postroom
As the interview plays out, Sarah is seen sweating with Campbell-Black in the room next door.
Again, it is 20-year-old Taggie who stumbles on the affair and watches the action through a crack in the door before Rupert makes direct eye contact with her.
A similar high-risk romp takes place between production assistant Daysee Butler (Lara Peake) and disgraced Hollywood star Johnny Friedlaender (Adam Rotherburg) in the studio’s postroom – moments before he goes live on television.
THE CLIMAX MONTAGE…WHERE (ALMOST) EVERYONE IS INVOLVED
If the first episode started with a bang on Concorde, then it certainly ends that way as well, with almost every character introduced appearing in a montage of intimate moments.
Sarah Stratton is involved in one of the scenes, with her Deputy PM husband Paul Stratton.
And Danny Dyer, starring as Freddie Jones, a self-made electronics millionaire, appears to be enjoying some time between the sheets way more than his social-climbing wife Valerie (Lisa McGrillis).
Danny Dyer (left) stars as Freddie Jones, a self-made electronics millionaire, alongside his social-climbing wife as played by Lisa McGrillis (right)
In the raunchy montage, Dyer’s character appears to be enjoying some time between the sheets way more than wife Valerie
Another montage in episode six includes scenes filmed in a barn (pictured) and a chicken coop
One couple are even filmed having a sexual encounter on the back of a golf cart
There’s a same-sex encounter too as Charles Fairburn (Gary Lamont) gets to grips with a young lover – and Depeche Mode’s Just Can’t Get Enough plays over the top of the action.
Viewers are treated to another pulse-racing montage in episode six with settings including the back of a golf cart, a barn and a chicken coop.
TENNANT’S ‘EROTIC ECSTASY’ THAT ENDED IN INJURY
In a recent interview, David Tennant revealed he injured himself while filming an intensely sexy scene on set.
Speaking on Heart radio, the Doctor Who star, 53, confessed to show hosts Alex Hassell and Pandora Christie that the incident actually happened when he was riled up in the moment of passion and overly keen to jump into bed.
Regional TV station controller Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) is among a cast of characters appearing in the first episode’s racy final scenes
One enthusiastic viewer asked who cast David Tennant, Alex Hassell and Aidan Turner in the same show because they ‘don’t know where to look’
He said: ‘I had to launch myself onto a bed at one point, in some moment of what is going to a be sort of erotic ecstasy, and slightly mis-timed it.
‘I ended up smashing my knee open on the bed frame.
To which Alex replied: ‘He does his own stunts’.
David joked: ‘It wasn’t my sexiest move’ before Pandora attempted to reassure him by adding: ‘No, well it depends on what you’re into!’
The Doctor Who star also told Cosmopolitan of his poorly timed injury.
‘My knee I smashed up diving onto a bed, to indulge in some sexual ecstasy,’ the 53-year-old Scottish actor revealed while chatting about the new show.
‘Not good timing. Smashed my knee.’
Despite the behind-the-scenes mishap, Jilly Cooper fans have praised the series and its casting team.
One enthusiastic viewer asked who cast David Tennant, Alex Hassell and Aidan Turner in the same show because they ‘don’t know where to look’.
The same fan branded Rivals a ‘dilf convention’.
Paso Doble? An unlikely pair get steamy in Spain
American actress Nafessa Williams makes her UK debut in Rivals as powerful producer Cameron Cook – and her character is not excluded from the more steamy scenes.
In episode six, Cook attends a TV awards ceremony in Spain and bumps into heartthrob Rupert.
The pair embark on a holiday romance and seem to make love in every corner of their Spanish villa – including the balcony.
High-flying producer Cameron Cook (Nefessa Williams) and Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) in a raunchy scene in the Cotswolds after their Spanish love affair
After one particularly steamy romp, Cook says: ‘I want you to pay more attention to my clitoris this time. Don’t be shy.’
‘Well I am a member of the Clitory Party,’ Campbell-Black remarks and they proceed to get down to business on the balcony.
Keeping up with the Mediterranean dirty-talking references, Campbell-Black refers to his member being as ‘hard as the Rock of Gibraltar’.
A slow-burn romance, a willow tree and a shirtless Danny Dyer
While the show itself has been met with high praise, it is Danny Dyer who is being held up by viewers as a standout performer.
He plays the role of Freddie an electronics businessman extraordinaire – a character viewers have said he plays with ‘nuance’, while others have demanded a spin-off show just for his part.
One viewer said: ‘It’s taken me three episodes to realise who Danny Dyer is playing, he is that good.’
But it was his slow-burn romance with Lizzie Vereker, as played by actress Katherine Parkinson, that set pulses racing.
In the final episode of the first series, they finally break the sexual tension between them with a steamy scene beneath a willow tree.
Danny Dyer (left) plays the role of self-made millionaire Freddie Jones who falls for Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson)
In the final episode, the pair finally submit to their slow-burn romance and creatively use a bottle of champagne while getting steamy beneath a willow tree
After watching the romp fest, GB News journalist Simon McCoy joked that he asked his wife to throw a Rivals themed party
Fans watched with their jaws on the floor as a shirtless Danny Dyer lays his partner down on the ground and says: ‘I’m going to declare this an area of outstanding natural beauty.’
The self-made millionaire then pours champagne onto her naked body, and proceeds to lick it off of her.
After watching the romp fest, GB News journalist Simon McCoy quipped on X: ‘Working at ITV in the 80s, as I did. Living in the Cotswolds, as we do. Being fans of Jilly Cooper, as we are… I thought throwing a “Rivals” themed party was a smashing idea. My wife was firm in her response.’
