filming

EXCLUSIVE – boss of hit Disney+ show Rivals says plans are well underway for filming of Season three and he was able to discuss some big story ideas with Jilly before her sad death in 2025.

Rivals bosses have confirmed Season three is heading to Disney+ in 2027 – with more changes expected from the book’s storylines.

Fans of the hit series, based on Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles novels, are eagerly awaiting episodes 7-12 of Season two which will launch on the streaming platform on November 11. And now it seems there won’t be too long to wait for even more episodes.

Speaking at a special tribute night to Jilly Cooper at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Rivals executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins praised the cast and crew for being so close and creating a fantastic atmosphere on set. He also says big upcoming storylines already had Jilly’s approval before her death.

Dominic said: “I’ve never worked on a show where everyone has come back for season two. All the heads of department came back. Almost everyone is coming up with season three. That just doesn’t happen. But we are ambitious, and we look at every scene rigorously and say, how could it be better?”

“We had Jilly’s notes for season one and all the way through season two. We talked to her about our plans for season three and beyond. So she’s checking on us, and we’ve got her seal of approval on big, things, big story points. We start filming in March and it is odd writing without Jilly.”

Referring to Jilly, who died in October last year, he added: “She was a friend and she became a sort of fairy godmother to all of us. And how lucky we were to have Jilly Cooper as our friend.”

Rivals has been a huge success since it launched in October 2024 with cast including David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Emily Atack and Katherine Parkinson.

At the same event Jilly’s daughter Emily Tarrant added that her mum had loved Rivals and the way it gave her books a new lease of life. She added: “She was joyous about it, so thrilled to see all her characters come to life.”

Disney+ have said Season Three will see the stakes become even higher for some of the characters. Announcing Season Three earlier in the year they said: “New romances blossom, old flames rekindle and shocking secrets will be spilled in this third series which takes everyone’s favourite rivalries to the next level. In a world of power, passion and betrayal, everyone has something to lose.”

Jilly’s agent Felicity Blunt, who also acts as en executive producer on Rivals, insisted the late writer understood that the TV version of her books couldn’t be exactly the same and would feature shock deaths or new characters.

Felicity said: “She really understood what it takes to take a book and translate it to screen, and then it can’t be this sort of slavish reproduction of what works in the text, like it has.

“There is a totally different three-dimensional quality to making a piece of great television, and she was the first person to bless any decision that deviated from the book, and really understood why.”

* Rivals Rivals Season 2, Part 2 will premiere on Wednesday, November 11 on Disney+.

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AMY Childs has admitted to feeling “emotional” having wrapped filming on her Towie wedding special.

Amy Childs: The Towie Wedding follows Amy and her now-husband Billy Delbosq as they prepare to tie the knot.

The spin-off sees the couple make arrangements before getting legally wed in London, followed by a lavish ceremony at San Roque Golf Club, near Marbella.

Taking to Instagram, Amy shared behind-the-scenes snaps from filming.

She captioned the images: “And that’s a wrap!

“Feeling so emotional our show has come to an end however I am so excited for you to all to see (dates coming soon)!

wedding joy

Towie couple in talks for huge wedding spin-off after Amy Childs’ TV nuptials

FAIRYTALE WED

Towie’s Harry Derbigde shares snaps of Amy Childs wedding ahead of TV special

“It’s been incredible!”

Referencing her daughter, Amy added: “PS Polly the star of the show!”

Amy’s photos saw the reality star sat for cameras solo as well as with Billy.

Another shot saw Polly, nine, who Amy shares with ex Bradley Wright, sat for her own solo pieces to camera.

Amy also shared a selfie, taken after getting glammed up for filming.

She looked chic in a black blazer and matching top, showing off a freshly-styled mane in shades of caramel and hazlenut.

Amy showcased her flawless make-up, with a tanned glow to her complexion, striking black lashes and a slick of rosy gloss across her pout.

She sported a necklace with Billy’s name on it, as well as the names of all her children: Polly and Ritchie from previous relationships and twins Millie and Billy with her now-husband.

The pair had their second ceremony at the end of September, surrounded by 180 guests including Towie co-stars such as Jordan Brook and Sophie Kasaei.

Amy was walked down the aisle by her dad, who is also named Billy, with guests all adhering to a black tie dresscode.

Amy and Billy had their first wedding back in April having previously postponed their nuptials last year.

The new show is expected to land on ITV in the coming months.

Gogglebox has returned to screens for another episode – but one notable face was missing from screens

A Gogglebox legend was rushed to hospital this week, causing them to miss out on filming for the latest instalment.

The long-running Channel 4 show returned to screens on Friday evening (October 2) for another episode. Back to share their thoughts on the latest bits of telly were siblings Pete and Sophie Sandiford and Ellie and Izzi Warner.

Married couple Andrew and Alfie and best mates Danielle and Daniella from Leeds also made an appearance, as well as newbies to the show, good friends Jude and Sherry.

However, one couple that failed to make an appearance was Sue and Steve from South London. The pair joined the programme in 2019 and quickly became firm favourites with fans.

But this week, Steve was rushed to hospital, meaning they were unable to film this week’s episode. On Instagram, the couple issued an update and shared a photo of Steve in hospital.

In the caption, they wrote: “What a difference a week makes. Steve was a little poorly and had to spend a few days in hospital & but he is home now. Out for lunch and enjoying his first beer in a while. Just call me Nurse Ratched.”

Confirming their absence from the latest episode, Sue told a follower in the comments section of the post: “We won’t see you this week but hopefully next week.” Meanwhile, other fans and Sue and Steve’s Gogglebox co-stars flooded the couple with support.

Izzi Warner wrote: “Glad you’re feeling better Steve.” Meanwhile someone else wrote: “Sorry to hear Steve wasn’t well, glad to hear he’s home and feeling better.” Another then penned: “Sorry to see this. Hope you’re feeling better soon.”

South London couple Sue and Steve joined Gogglebox almost 10 years ago in 2019 – and it’s fair to say it didn’t take them long to become firm favourites with fans.

Over the years, Steve, a retired black cab driver, and Sue, who is semi-retired, have had viewers in stitches thanks to their hilarious one-liners and comical takes on the telly highlights.

Away from the programme, the pair – who have been married for over four decades – are also doting parents to two daughters and are also grandparents to grandson Roman.

Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.

A former contestant from The Great British Bake Off admitted ‘I did feel a bit sick’.

A contestant on The Great British Bake Off has revealed a moment that left him feeling “sick”.

The fan-favourite baking competition has returned to Channel 4, with 12 amateur bakers hoping to impress Paul Hollywood and new judge Nigella Lawson, who has replaced Dame Prue Leith.

In the first episode of this series, the bakers were tasked with making Nigella’s stout cake and a self-portrait showstopper, and despite two creations collapsing onto the floor, no one was sent home after contestant Shannon had to quit the challenge halfway through on medical advice.

Ahead of biscuit week tonight, Tuesday 29 September, one contestant has recalled his own experience on the show. Howard Middleton took part in the fourth series back in 2013, but was devastatingly sent home during week six.

He’s now revealed that before filming even began, there was a moment that left him feeling sick. Speaking on behalf of Smooth Spins, Howard shared his first impression of the famous white tent.

He said: “It’s interesting because you get two shots of it. So, we were ferried from the hotel to the tent in a little minibus, and you just see the tent emerging from the minibus, and it’s at that point you sort of think, ‘Oh God, I feel a bit sick!’ That’s when it starts to feel real.

“When you actually go into the tent the first time, you get a tour, where someone explains how the ovens work and the hobs and everything around the kitchen. I just remember thinking that I hadn’t understood a word that you’d just said because I was so in awe of actually being in the tent.

“Even after the explanation, I still kept having to ask how to work the oven and the hob afterwards. It’s very overwhelming, and I did feel a bit sick.”

He went on to talk about meeting his fellow bakers, revealing they only met the night before. Howard continued: “Obviously we’ve all gone through the audition process, and you’ve met certain people along the way, but it’s not until the night before you actually start filming that you know who’s got into the tent. It may be that you’ve met one or two of them, or you remember seeing them during the auditions, but most of the time they’re strangers, really.

“On the first night when you meet everyone, you can make up your mind about them. Sometimes people can be very loud if you are out for dinner or something, and you start to understand what they will be like in the tent.”

After their first impressions of each other, Howard shared that the bakers did spend time together when the cameras stopped rolling, though he admitted that his time on the show was likely different to now. Back then, the contestants stayed in a hotel further from the tent, whereas he claimed that now, due to security reasons, they stay much closer.

He went on: “And the security is much tighter than it was. We were free to go out for meals together in the evening, although, to be perfectly honest, you’re so tired by the time you’ve finished a day of filming that you really don’t want to socialise that much.

“We also realised that those of us who would be catching up at the hotel bar late at night – none of us made it through to the finals! So if there’s a lesson to be learned, it’s don’t go out the night before!”

The Great British Bake Off continues tonight at 8pm on Channel 4

Joe Marler has revealed that he put on a stone during filming for Celebrity Traitors after overindulging in the extravagant breakfasts that are on offer for players

Joe Marler has revealed that he put on a stone during filming for Celebrity Traitors. The rugby star, 36, was one of several famous faces to enter the famous castle last year before comedian Alan Carr walked off with the top prize.

The show is famed for its extravagant breakfasts, which players enjoy as they discuss the game, and now Joe has recalled just how much he indulged during production of their show.

Speaking to Richard Osman and Marina Hyde at their live version of The Rest is Entertainment podcast, he explained: “So you get flown up there and then you get shoved in the Marriott Hotel in Inverness Airport. It was gorgeous!

“I was in the room, you put a card under the door, your food gets brought to you, you can have as much as you like. “There’s no interaction with anyone, any other contestants and then you’re taken to the castle.

“For the first bit of enjoying yourself, just watch what you’re eating, to go in there and put on eight kilos. Some people engage in a second breakfast, some people it would be their first breakfast. Some people it might be a third breakfast.”

During his time on the programme, Joe, a Faithful, reached the final and correctly sussed that Alan, along with Cat Burns, were Traitors. But in a shock move, he was banished in the final at the last minute, meaning that Alan could walk away from the show victorious.

Viewers are just days away from the new series of Celebrity Traitors, which will launch on October 1 and feature will feature a stellar line-up of names including Coronation Street legend Julie Hesmondhalgh, Little Mix star Leigh Anne Pinnock and singer James Blunt.

Maya Jama, best known for fronting Love Island, as well as best friends and comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan will be seen taking part as well, amongst a host of others.

Before the official release date was confirmed, Joe appeared alongside Pointless star Richard at an event and it seemed as if the pair had accidentally revealed the launch date, although this turned out not to be the case.

It’s reported that he asked Joe if he had any advice for the upcoming group of contestants, and he said: “What is it, September 23, the next series?”

Then, Richard replied: “By the way, to point out, it’s absolutely embargoed that it starts on September 23. Let’s talk about what we call the events of September 23 this year … the cat’s out of the bag, isn’t it? Not to repeat it.” A BBC spokesperson declined to comment.

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