Emily Atack

RIVALS star Emily Atack has revealed she was touched and sent inappropriate text messages by male co-stars when she was a teenager.

Speaking in a new interview with Grazia, she expressed: “I’ve done so many things; I’ve done 13 movies. I’ve worked on some incredible sets and really difficult ones.

“Where I was a teenager, I learned to accept that on certain sets things were going to happen – whether it was touching me, whispering things in my ear between takes when nobody was listening, or texting me outside of work hours with inappropriate things.

“I’ve been through it,” the 36-year-old admitted to the publication.

Her latest show, Rivals on Disney+ features plenty of raunchy scenes but Emily previously praised the use of intimacy co-ordinators on the sets.

Speaking about the use of them in September last year, the mum-of-one explained: “I’ve seen people roll their eyes about them and say, ‘I don’t need one.’

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“There’s a defensiveness about it, because they feel like they’re being accused of something they haven’t even done yet. 

“Intimacy coordinators are there for support if you feel uncomfortable, whether you’re a man or a woman.

“I’ve been sexually assaulted at work throughout my career, whether it’s on the actual set, or at a wrap party. 

“And since the #MeToo movement, it shows that people are listening and that there has to be a shift in behaviour on sets.” 

The actress, who plays Sarah Stratton, told Radio Times: “I’m really proud of the Rivals gang because, throughout my life, I haven’t felt safe all the time, and we’re all so respectful of each other.  

“We have to do a lot of sexual scenes and we’re very looked after — it’s a really positive thing.” 

Back in 2023, she was a part of the BBC Two documentary, Emily Atack: Asking For It?, which explored the devastating scale of online sexual harassment.

She uncovered the normalisation of cyber-flashing and addressed the societal tendency to blame victims for unwanted explicit messages.

Following the airing of the highly-praised documentary, Emily actively briefed MPs in Parliament to address loopholes regarding sexual harrasment.

Her advocacy helped secure legal protections in the Online Safety Act.

Emily rose to prominence in 2008 when she played Charlotte Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners.

As well as her acting work, she’s also made appearances on television shows including Dancing On Ice, I’m A Celebrity, Celebrity Juice and the new ITV quiz show Nobody’s Fool with Danny Dyer.

Outside of her career, she got engaged to materials scientist Dr Alistair Garner in July last year, with their wedding scheduled to happen this September.

The year before, she became a first-time mum when the couple welcomed their baby boy Barney into the world.

She wrote on instagram: “We have a beautiful son. Barney James Garner. All my dreams have come true”

The post featured a sweet black and white snap of Emily with Alistair and their new arrival lying on Emily’s chest.

ITV viewers were quick to issue the same complaint about Danny Dyer and Emily Atack’s new gameshow Nobody’s Fool

ITV viewers have ‘switched off’ new gameshow Nobody’s Fool after voicing identical complaints.

Fronted by actors Danny Dyer and Emily Atack, the quiz-based series features ten strangers battling it out for a whopping £100,000 prize fund. Unlike the majority of gameshows, this programme isn’t about how intelligent contestants are, but rather how intelligent others perceive them to be.

Each participant tackles a general knowledge quiz in private, with their correct answers contributing money to the prize. Having completed the quiz, players can opt to lie or tell the truth about their performance.

The genuine tension of the game emerges during the eviction task, where contestants must pinpoint the person who contributed the least to the prize fund based purely on their impressions of their fellow players.

Victory hinges on persuading the other contestants that you’re clever enough to remain in the game, even if that means double-crossing them, reports the Daily Star.

Despite its fascinating premise, viewers were swift to condemn the new programme for allegedly “ripping off” BBC’s The Traitors.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one viewer wrote: “So this #nobodysfool is 100% a rip off of #Thetraitors.”

As devotees of the BBC gameshow will recognise, The Traitors is similarly a game of deception, which relies on players’ perceptions of one another. The Traitors is also set in a castle, while Nobody’s Fool takes place in a manor.

Someone else drew the same parallel, writing: “Budget version of The Traitors #NobodysFool,” while a third contributed: “#NobodysFool so this is another traitors/ fortune hotel rip off.”

Others were swift to switch off the programme. “Nope 2 minutes in and off #nobodysfool,” remarked one, while someone else noted: “Nodding off already. Surely not another itv flop.”

Despite the harsh judgements, however, some ITV audiences are prepared to give the gameshow an opportunity. One commended: “I’m liking #NobodysFool so far not a bad opening.”

While a second concurred: “#NobodysFool seems okay at the moment.”

And yet another viewer offered a measured assessment, declaring: “Too many shows these days are trying too hard to replicate The Traitors – and failing miserably. #NobodysFool however is decent so far and already a lot better than #TheNeighbourhood.”

Nobody’s Fool is streaming now on ITVX

Emily Atack is starring in the highly anticipated second season of Disney+’s Rivals, and has been giving a rare insight into her wedding plans with fiancé Dr Alistair Garner

The Inbetweeners star Emily Atack, 36, faces a hectic period both professionally and personally. The actress is currently organising her upcoming nuptials to partner Dr Alistair Garner, while her Rivals storyline, where she plays Sarah Stratton, intensifies.

She’s also presenting ITV’s new strategic reality quiz, Nobody’s Fool, alongside fellow Rivals star Danny Dyer, 48.

Emily, who gave birth to her first child, a son named Barney, with Alistair in 2024, has been sharing behind-the-scenes secrets from the Disney+ adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s steamy novel, while offering a glimpse into her wedding preparations.

The actress joined her on-screen husband Rufus Jones, 51, on the Rivals Season 2 Official Podcast to chat about the opening episodes of the latest series, including several explicit nude sequences.

Rufus was asked about the moment his character, Paul Stratton, danced around in the buff following a shower, leading Emily to reveal that she’d witnessed the actor unclothed “more than my own partner” in recent months.

The star acknowledged that the striking scene represented “his first day” of shooting series two, remarking: “It’s very funny, I’ve done quite a lot of nudity in my career”, to which Emily interjected: “I’ve seen you naked more than my own partner this year!”

Rufus chuckled and responded: “I know, it’s slightly weird. I’ve done it about 10 times!” The actor revealed that filming the scene proved particularly challenging as the shower was considerably smaller than anticipated, leaving him with limited space to perform.

Meanwhile, Emily’s character Sarah has been wrestling with the revelation that she’s expecting a baby, while simultaneously attempting to safeguard her television career.

The actress explained that she tapped into her own personal journey of first-time motherhood for the storyline “because it really, genuinely gave me that real emotion”.

This follows Emily previously admitting she finds it difficult to look at her baby son “without crying”, as she “loves him so much”.

Beyond the Rutshire universe, Emily has disclosed that her wedding to fiancé Alistair is scheduled for September this year.

She told Luxury London in a recent interview: “I think I’ve nailed it. We’re getting married in September.”

The star continued: “I’ve very much enjoyed the planning process. Choosing napkins and stuff. I’m like, ‘My God, my life is here!'”

Emily and Danny Dyer’s new programme Nobody’s Fool launches on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Saturday.

The BBC has shared cast details of an upcoming drama about a celebrity legal battle

The BBC has shared a major update on its upcoming drama about a celebrity legal battle that spirals out of control.

Described as “high-stakes, intoxicating and hugely entertaining”, Reputation was announced earlier this year.

But the broadcaster has now confirmed that filming is underway and that some huge stars have been added to the cast, including Rivals’ Emily Atack, Mad Men star Christina Hendricks and Naomie Harris from Skyfall.

The six-part series centres on Lena (Naomie), a formidable lawyer who gets pulled into the celebrity case of the decade representing global pop star Davina Knight (Christina).

A synopsis reads: “Reputation is an audacious and glossy new drama that shows what happens when a celebrity legal battle spirals out of control. After Davina releases a provocative new song accusing her ex-husband, Billy (Kyle Soller), of abusive behaviour and he retaliates in kind, their private breakdown erupts into a very public libel battle.

“The case is fought far beyond the courtroom, as PR machines are deployed, laws are bent and social media platforms become judge, jury and battleground – driving outrage for clicks and warping the truth.”

It goes on: “For Lena, the case puts her own personal life in the line of fire. How far will she go to win and at what cost? And for Davina, how far will she go to protect her reputation?”

Naomie said she was “hooked” from page one of Reputation, adding: “It’s so rare to read scripts with the wit and flair of Anya’s (creator and writer Anya Reiss) writing and I knew straight away that I wanted to play Lena.”

Christina added that Davina was “a fantastic, fierce character”.

Other cast members include The Crown’s Alex Jennings, David Gyasi from The Diplomat and Prime Target’s Alex Heath.

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said when the series was announced: “Reputation is high-stakes, intoxicating and hugely entertaining, with a lot to say about the world.”

She added that in Elaine and Davina, Reiss “has created two lead characters for the ages”.

Reputation is set to air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

The new ITV quiz show is fronted by Danny Dyer and Emily Atack

ITV has unveiled the first look at its new reality quiz show with a surprising twist.

Fronted by Danny Dyer and Emily Atack, Nobody’s Fool has been billed as a “unique reality event packed full of drama and deception.”

In this ruthless contest, participants’ survival depends not on their actual intelligence, but on how clever their rivals perceive them to be.

Throughout the series, ten competitors from across the UK will share a purpose-built “Smart House,” taking part in a game where perception, tactics and trickery matter just as much as brainpower.

With challenges completed behind closed doors, assumptions, biases and initial impressions will prove crucial, as hasty conclusions and deliberate misdirection keep both contestants and audiences second-guessing.

The show will feature daily individual quizzes testing various forms of intelligence, with correct answers contributing to a collective prize fund.

However, in a clever twist, only the participants themselves will know their actual performance – leaving them free to share as much or as little truth as they wish with their housemates.

As the series progresses, players must identify the weakest link among them and vote them out.

Discussing the programme, Danny Dyer enthused: “this is a blinder of a game show and unlike anything I’ve seen before. Emily and I had a brilliant time making it and much like the audience at home will be, we kept guessing right until the very end.”

Emily Atack added: “It’s so exciting to be part of something this new and fresh. The chance to work with Danny again was a no brainer for me. We had such a laugh. Can’t wait for everyone to watch, it’s an absolute must see.”

Sue Murphy, Director of Factual Entertainment at ITV, and Kate Teckman, Head of Development and Commissioning Editor at ITV, said: “Nobody’s Fool is an innovative reality/quiz crossover show that puts preconceptions, stereotypes and judgements to the test.”

They continued: “Danny and Emily are the perfect pairing to host this game of surprise and prejudice, that will no doubt have audiences on the edge of their seats.”

Meanwhile, Richard Cowles, MD, and Tom Gould, Director of Entertainment and Formats at Lifted Entertainment, added: “Nobody’s Fool takes a simple premise – How do you really determine how smart someone is?

He added: “Trust your preconceptions and judgement or what they tell you? – and turns that into a high stakes reality game show with up to £100k up for grabs.

“There is drama at every turn but with Danny and Emily on hosting duties, the fun and laughter is also never far away.”

Nobody’s Fool is coming to ITV soon