The Disney hit Rivals was full of swanky parties where the champagne was ever flowing, and last night its writer Dame Jilly Cooper hosted her own drink-fuelled soiree.

As filming for season two is in full swing, the writer invited its cast to her home in Gloucestershire for the lavish do.

Seen arriving at the party was actress Emily Atack, 35, who plays Sarah Stratton in the bonkbuster.

She lovingly placed her arm around a colleague as she showed off her blonde up do hairstyle.

David Tennant, 54, who plays top TV exec Tony Baddingham, was also at the event and arrived with Victoria Smurfit, 51.

The Irish actress, who plays Maud O' Hara in the show, stunned in a long white dress with multi coloured polka dots.

The mustachioed Aiden Turner, 42, who plays Smurfit's on-screen husband Declan O'Hara, was also in attendance.

He rode in the front seat, while his TV nemesis Alex Hassell, who stars as Rupert Campbell-Black, 44, rode in the back.

It wasn't just Rivals cast in attendance, Dame Jilly, 87, also invited friend Andrew Parker-Bowles, the former husband of Queen Camilla, who was driven into the grounds by his daughter Laura.

Parker-Bowles is said to be the inspiration for Rupert Cambell-Black, the lothario at the centre of her novels.

Speaking to the How To Fail podcast, Jilly confirmed she based the aristocrat - described in her raunchy 1988 novel as 'the handsomest man in England' - on Queen Camilla's 'famously naughty' ex husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.

The writer said former Army officer Parker Bowles, once dubbed 'the lothario of London', provided at least some of the inspiration for the promiscuous character.

'He's been a great friend for a long time... so he's very like Rupert. He's beautiful and blond and stunning,' said Dame Jilly.

A surprise face in attendance at the party was Rupert Everett, 66, after it was announced yesterday he would be joining the cast alongside Hollywood actress Hayley Attwell.

Mission Impossible star Hayley Atwell will be playing Helen Gordon, Rupert Campbell-Black's ex-wife and mother of his two children, Marcus and Tabitha.

While Napoleon actor Rupert Everett is set to take on the role of her husband Malise Gordon, Campbell Black's former show-jumping coach and mentor.

Rivals' executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins said: 'We are utterly thrilled to have Hayley and Rupert join us to play Jilly Cooper's legendary characters Helen and Malise Gordon.

'Alongside our other new wonderful actors and truly brilliant returning cast, Rivals series two absolutely showcases the best of British and Irish talent.

'With further exciting guest stars to be announced, we can't wait for everyone to see what's next for the residents of Rutshire.'

It comes as Rivals star Emily Atack revealed she loves being typecast as a man-eating siren.

Emily told the Edinburgh Television Festival: 'I've been typecast my whole life, and I've loved every single minute of it. I will carry on playing sexy women for as long as they will have me.'

The actress and comedian has made a name for herself playing alluring characters such as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners and blonde bombshell Sarah Stratton in Rivals.

In the Disney+ series, her character is the mistress-turned-second-wife of fictional MP Paul Stratton. She later embarks on an affair with married lothario Rupert Campbell-Black.

Ms Atack said that even though such women were demonised for their behaviour, she identified with the character because she had also made 'terrible decisions' in her romantic relationships.

She added: 'Women like Sarah Stratton, they've never been written with nuance, they've always been certain types of women, these demonised types of women - the home wreckers. I think people have been quite scared to admit that they identify with characters like Sarah.

'I just wasn't afraid to identify with her. I completely am her. I'm a very flawed woman. I've made terrible decisions in my love life.

'I used all of that completely. It was completely genuine.

'These so-called demonised women, they're not being celebrated for that behaviour but they're being understood better.'