''Riders'', also called ''Jilly Cooper's Riders'', is a 1993 British television film based on Jilly Cooper's 1985 book of the same name in the Rutshire Chronicles series. With a length of 199 minutes, broadcasters usually divide the production into a

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format h ...

Outline

Rupert Campbell-Black (played by Marcus Gilbert) is a rich and upper class Englishman at the top of the world of international

show jumping Show jumping is a part of a group of English riding equestrianism, equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including th ...

, while his arch-rival Jake Lovell ( Michael Praed) is a man of humble gipsy origins now funded by his Sloane Ranger heiress wife Tory ( Caroline Harker). Lovell is driven by an intense hatred of Campbell-Black, who had bullied him mercilessly as a small boy at their English prep school, and their fights over riding prizes and women reach a climax at the Los Angeles Olympics.

Cast

Production

Anglia bought the film rights to the best-selling book and hired

Charlotte Bingham The Hon. Charlotte Bingham (born 29 June 1942) is an English novelist who has written over 30 mainly historical romance novels and has also written for many television programmes including '' Upstairs, Downstairs''; ''Play for Today''; and '' ...

and her husband Terence Brady to produce a script, giving the job of director to

Gabrielle Beaumont Gabrielle Beaumont (7 April 1942 – 8 October 2022) was a British film and television director. Her directing credits range from ''Hill Street Blues'' to '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. She became the first woman to direct an episode of '' ...

. Some sequences were filmed at Heydon, Norfolk. This was the screen debut of Sienna Guillory, only sixteen at the time, chosen largely because her part called for a young actress who could ride.

Reception

The film had an intense build-up as "a sex sizzler" in the weeks before its first broadcast on the ITV network on 2 May 1993, but some critics found it absurd. Writing in '' The Independent'', Allison Pearson said: "Jilly Cooper's Riders (ITV), allegedly about mounting excitement, came with palpitating publicity. But it was all sound and furry animals, dignifying nothing." She continued by mocking

Anthony Calf Anthony Calf (born 4 May 1959) is an English actor. He studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). He has recurring roles in the television medical drama ''Holby City'', as Michael Beauchamp, and '' New Tricks'' as ...

's portrayal of Billy Lloyd-Foxe: "I was trying to place Calf's acting style (do horses give you lockjaw?) when he turned up in the Gold Blend advert. All that rich, roasted alliteration is enough to drive anyone to suicide, which he wisely attempted in part two, only to have Rupert revive him ('England needs you, Billy').Allison Pearson
TELEVISION / Sex, beasts and Jilly Cooper
dated 8 May 1993 in '' The Independent'' online, accessed 18 January 2018 The strapline used on the present-day DVD cover, "Sex and horses: who could ask for more?" is indeed from '' The Sunday Telegraph'', but was a comment on the book ''Riders'' in 1985, and not on the film.Rowan Pelling
On its 30th anniversary, why Riders is the best erotic fiction of all time
dated 7 March 2015 at telegraph.co.uk, accessed 20 January 2018

Aftermath

In 2002, Jilly Cooper revealed that Rupert Campbell-Black was a composite of Andrew Parker Bowles,

Rupert Lycett Green Rupert William Lycett Green (born 24 October 1938) is a British fashion designer known for his contribution to 1960s male fashion through his tailor's shop/boutique Blades in London. Early life Lycett Green was born in England, the son of Comman ...

, Michael Howard, 21st Earl of Suffolk, and the

11th Duke of Beaufort 11 (eleven) is the natural number following 10 and preceding 12. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer whose name has three syllables. Name "Eleven" derives from the Old English ', which is first attested i ...

, commenting on their place in the development of Campbell-Black: "a wildly dashing and exciting group, and their bravery and charisma were the essential elements... his shittiness was entirely my invention". Rowan Pelling has suggested in ''The Daily Telegraph'' that the outrageous Fleet Street columnist Janey Lloyd-Foxe is based on Jilly Cooper herself and the young Camilla Parker-Bowles.

Notes

External links

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Riders
on YouTube {{DEFAULTSORT:Riders (1993 miniseries) 1993 British television series debuts 1993 British television series endings 1990s British drama television series British television films ITV television dramas 1990s British television miniseries British English-language television shows Television series by ITV Studios Television shows produced by Anglia Television Television shows based on British novels Television shows set in Berkshire Films directed by Gabrielle Beaumont 1990s English-language films