'I don’t do any silly diets – I think it’s dangerous to set those standards for young men'
Alex Hassell and co-star Bella Maclean discuss their return to the world of the late Jilly Cooper
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- Emma Cox
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When you were cast, Jilly Cooper fans complained that you didn’t look like the Rupert described in the books. Are you pleased to have won them over?
Alex Hassell: When you take on a role that people really care about, it’s nerve-wracking. I guess the producers thought there was some innate Rupert-ness that I could capture, and Jilly’s endorsement made me feel more confident.
Is he fun or awkward to play?
AH: I was initially intimidated to read scenes where Rupert enters a room and everyone swoons! But now, spending the day with people pretending to find me the most attractive man in the world, is fun.
Do you follow a diet to get in shape before filming?
AH: Rupert is supposed to look statuesque and heroic, so I do my best with a trainer. I don’t do any silly diets – I think it’s dangerous to set those standards for young men.
How do you feel when you watch your sex scenes?
AH: The weirdness of watching yourself simulate sex, especially at a screening with 200 people, has not diminished! But it’s important to remember that sex can and should be fun, and a lot of the sex in Rivals is fun.
There's a great scene in series two where Rupert dances to The Chicken Song from Spitting Image. Did you enjoy filming it?
AH: That’s one of my favourites. What’s really fun about that scene is that The Chicken Song was originally sung by Emily Atack’s mum, and she’s in the scene. She gropes me on the dance floor!
What were the 80s like for you?
AH: I was in a little village in Essex and my dad was a vicar. I was riding a BMX with my friends and going to a lot of church fêtes.
Bella Maclean and Alex Hassell in Rivals season 2. Disney+
Taggie has a dressed-down look – were you jealous of the actresses who wear puffball dresses?
Bella Maclean: Taggie’s make-up is simple and I don’t have to wear a wig and I like her cowboy boots and Levi’s, they get me into character as much as big shoulder pads would. But some of the outfits Valerie wears are priceless. Lisa McGrillis walks out of her trailer and does the can-can every time!
You weren't born until 1997. Do any of the 80s references confuse you?
BM: I know most of them through my parents. Potato waffles were around when I was a kid! It’s so fun and nostalgic. The cigarettes on the show are fake, so if I had to sit in a pub with everyone smoking around me, I might have a different opinion, but everything feels so glamorous and ridiculous.
Do you wish you'd been around back then?
BM: I don’t think so. My parents regale me with amazing stories from that time and I love the idea of life being simpler. I love the scene where Taggie has a cassette player with a cute mix-tape, but I also love that I can FaceTime my best friend in America.
It's a show known for its sex scenes. You didn’t have one in the first series – does that change in the second?
BM: I couldn’t possibly say! Although a lot of the sex in the show is fun and silly, a lot of it is complicated and has heart. There are some beautiful moments.
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Rivals season 2 is coming to Disney+ on Friday 15 May 2026.
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Emma Cox
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