Rivals star Emily Atack says landing the role was a rare 'once in 12 years' moment - as the hit show returns

It’s been almost two decades since Emily Atack first appeared on our screens, but the actor has found a new global audience thanks to her role in the hit Disney+ adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper's blockbuster novel, Rivals.

'Life doesn’t get better than this. I’ve hit the jackpot,' she recalled thinking after being cast as Sarah Stratton in the show. When it was a hit, she said, 'I’m just going to enjoy the moment, because in this industry you never know when it could all be over. These jobs come around once every 12 years or so. It’s rare.'

But it seems she now doesn't need to wonder where her next pay cheque will come from. In addition to a second series dropping on the streaming platform on May 15 - for which she is reported to have been paid £1.5 million - she is also teaming up with Rivals co-star Danny Dyer for a new ITV quiz show, coming soon.

If that wasn't enough, she's reported to be the front-runner to present a Disney+ reboot of Blind Date.

A TV insider said, 'Execs want someone youthful, fun, glamorous, but also relatable to the youngsters who will form the bulk of the contestants.

'Emily has always been candid about her own rollercoaster love life... She’d be an inspiration to many of the people looking for love and happiness, but also a famous face that many people view as someone they could relate to.'

Emily made her TV debut with a small role in Blue Murder before landing her breakthrough role in 2008 as Charlotte ‘Big Jugs’ Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners.

And while she says the character and sitcom 'changed my life', Emily, who recently revealed that she still gets called Charlotte’s nickname, is ready for a new era.

Following the birth of her first child, Barney, with fiancé Dr Alistair Garner in June 2024, she is throwing herself back into work with exciting TV projects alongside big-money deals, and recently underwent a glam transformation.

Rivals Season 2 | Official Teaser | Disney+ UK - YouTube

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Emily’s recent wave of opportunities also comes after her recent glamorous transformation, having lost weight following her pregnancy and birth.

After sharing a string of snaps where she looked glowing and noticeably slimmer, the loved-up actor, who got engaged in July, was inundated with compliments.

'You look incredible,' wrote one as another said, 'you look b***dy amazing, well done you.' A third added, 'She looks stunning, she has lost a lot of weight. Well done, keep it up,' as others compared her to Hollywood actor Margot Robbie.

While some have speculated that skinny jabs could be behind her weight loss, Emily has not commented on the claims. She has, however, said that she has a new appreciation for her body after having a baby.

The star, who had previously been open about feeling pressure to 'look a certain way' to secure acting roles, admitted, 'There’s something quite liberating about having a baby. Your body goes through so much and you genuinely look at your body as a completely different vessel.'

But it’s not just on screen and in her personal life that Emily is shining.

Just weeks ago it was claimed that she had landed a £100,000 deal with high-street giant M&S. She reportedly flew business class to South Africa earlier this year to film a 'top secret advert' for them, following in the footsteps of previous brand ambassadors and broadcasting heavyweights Holly Willoughby and Claudia Winkleman.

On top of that, last month she 'broke the internet' following the launch of her sultry campaign with upmarket lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.

Inspired by her Rivals character, Emily described The Duchess campaign as 'one of the most special projects I’ve worked on', adding, 'And one I feel truly empowered by.'

Speaking about her personal and professional renaissance, a source said, 'Just a few years ago she was struggling financially, going from job to job and boyfriend to boyfriend, but it never worked out. Now she’s got the job of her dreams, her own little family, and she has learned to love her body again. It’s a big two fingers up to her detractors.'

So, aside from all her upcoming projects, what else can we expect from Emily?

Having once feared being typecast, the actor is now ready to embrace the 'sexy' label she’s been assigned, and she vowed, 'I will carry on playing these sexy women for as long as they will have me.'

A version of this feature first appeared in Woman magazine. Subscribe now and get your first 6 issues for £1.