Author Dame Jilly Cooper has died, her publisher has said.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dame Jilly Cooper, DBE who died on Sunday morning, after a fall, at the age of 88,” a statement said.

The Queen paid tribute to Dame Jilly, calling her a “legend” who was a “wonderfully witty and compassionate friend”.

The best-selling author was renowned for her raunchy, so-called “bonkbuster” novels, which portrayed the scandals and sex lives of wealthy country social circles, including Rivals, Riders and Polo.

She was praised for her blend of risqué storylines and critique of Britain’s class system, personified by showjumping lothario Rupert Campbell-Black.

Her children Felix and Emily said: “Mum was the shining light in all of our lives. Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds.

“Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock.

“We are so proud of everything she achieved in her life and can’t begin to imagine life without her infectious smile and laughter all around us.”

Dame Jilly was propelled to commercial success in the 1980s, and sold 11 million copies of her books during her more than fifty-year career.

Last year, Rivals was adapted into a successful TV series, which she worked on as an executive producer.

Tributes to author who created ‘a whole new genre’

Dame Jilly was a long-standing friend of the Queen.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, she said: “I was so saddened to learn of Dame Jilly’s death last night.

“Very few writers get to be a legend in their own lifetime but Jilly was one, creating a whole new genre of literature and making it her own through a career that spanned over five decades.

“In person she was a wonderfully witty and compassionate friend to me and so many – and it was a particular pleasure to see her just a few weeks ago at my Queen’s Reading Room Festival where she was, as ever, a star of the show.

“I join my husband the King in sending our thoughts and sympathies to all her family.

“And may her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs.”

The author’s many fans included former prime minister Rishi Sunak, who said the books offered “escapism”.

‘Dame Jilly defined culture’

Her agent Felicity Blunt said: “The privilege of my career has been working with a woman who has defined culture, writing and conversation since she was first published over fifty years ago.”

She added: “You wouldn’t expect books categorised as bonkbusters to have so emphatically stood the test of time, but Jilly wrote with acuity and insight about all things – class, sex, marriage, rivalry, grief and fertility.”

The executive producers of the Disney+ adaptation, Rivals, said they are “broken-hearted” and “her legacy will endure”.

Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Alex Lamb added: “Jilly was and always will be one of the world’s greatest storytellers, and it has been the most incredible honour to have been able to work with her to adapt her incredible novels for television.”

As tributes rolled in on Monday, TV presenter Kirsty Allsopp wrote on X: “I know 88 is a good age, but this is very sad news.

“A British institution, funny, enthusiastic and self-deprecating, we don’t see enough of it these days.”

Her publisher Bill Scott-Kerr said: “Jilly may have worn her influence lightly, but she was a true trailblazer.

“As a journalist she went where others feared to tread, and as a novelist she did likewise.

“With a winning combination of glorious storytelling, wicked social commentary and deft, lacerating characterisation, she dissected the behaviour, bad mostly, of the English upper middle classes with the sharpest of scalpels.”

The ‘unholy terror’

Born in Essex in 1937, Jilly Cooper came from a Yorkshire family known for newspaper publishing and politics.

Her writing career began in 1956 as a junior reporter on the Middlesex Independent, covering everything from parties to football.

She had said she was known as the “unholy terror” at school, and was sacked from 22 jobs before finding her way into book publishing.

Dame Jilly started writing stories for women’s magazines in 1968, and found her break in 1969 when The Sunday Times published a story on being an ”undomesticated” homemaker. It gave rise to a column that lasted over 13 years.

In 2019 she won the inaugural Comedy Women in Print lifetime achievement award, and in 2024 was made a dame for her services to literature and charity.

A security guard who helped barricade the doors during the Manchester synagogue attack has told Sky News he thought “we are all going to die” – as he watched two of his friends get struck by what’s believed to be a police bullet. 

Ivor Rosenberg was a working volunteer security guard on the morning Jihad al Shamie, 35, launched his attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall.

He described first confronting al Shamie outside the synagogue some minutes earlier, thinking “he’s up to no good” – after he told different people conflicting stories about how he was looking for his car and a pub.

“He looked at me and said ‘what are you looking at?’,” Mr Rosenberg told Sky News.

“I just said, ‘I don’t know’… he said ‘you’re very brave inside the fence’… and he walked away.”

Mr Rosenberg said he started walking back up the stairs towards the synagogue when he heard “an almighty bang”.

“I turned around and I saw the car smashed into the wall of the gate,” he said.

He described Alan Levy, the synagogue chairman, managing to lock the main door as he ran straight to the office and dialled 999.

“I was screaming at them – ‘we’re under attack, we’re under attack!’,” he said.

“I could hear him banging on the doors, trying to get in – threatening to kill everyone.”

Mr Rosenberg said he looked out of the window and saw al Shamie banging on the synagogue door with a “large knife”.

“I was terrified,” he said.

After running to get chairs to put up against the synagogue door, he described holding the doors shut with a group of nine or 10 others from the synagogue.

It was then that he saw a bullet come through the door – hitting two of his friends.

After the police initially opened fire on al Shamie, Mr Rosenberg said he saw him trying to get up.

“I screamed – he’s getting up again,” he said.

“I stood back and we could hear a shot.

“Yoni – who was standing just a couple of feet away from me – dropped down to the ground.”

Yoni Finlay is currently recovering in hospital. He is one of two men that Greater Manchester Police believe they accidentally struck with gunfire while trying to shoot al Shamie.

The other is Adrian Daulby, 53, who died from his injuries.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, who was among those who helped to prevent al Shamie from entering the synagogue, also died.

Mr Rosenberg described seeing a “bullet hole” in the door – and believes the same bullet hit both Mr Finlay and Mr Daulby, who was also behind the door with him at the time.

He said at first he believed Mr Finlay, a friend of his for many years, was intentionally ducking to avoid the gunfire. He then quickly realised he had been injured.

“He said ‘I’ve been hit’. I think the bullet came through him and hit Mr Daulby. I thought ‘we’re all going to die’ for a minute. It was terrifying,” Mr Rosenberg said.

“I took my jacket off and cradled Yoni’s head. It was very, very scary.”

Mr Rosenberg said both of the men were “heroes” – and has had updates that Mr Finlay is continuing to recover in hospital.

Two other men also remain in hospital with serious injuries – a security guard with car-impact injuries and a community worker with stab wounds.

Mr Rosenberg said that he is still struggling to come to terms with what happened that day.

“I’m okay until someone asks me how I’m doing – then it’s hard,” he said.

Read more:
Families pay tribute to ‘kind and heroic’ victims
Police given extra time to question four arrested

Al Shamie was shot dead by police.

Four people arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts remain in custody after police were granted a further five days to question them on Saturday.

England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Lewis Moody has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

The 47-year-old former England captain said it had been “incredibly hard to process and a huge shock to me and my family”.

In a social media post, he wrote: “I’m writing to share some tough news. I have recently been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Motor Neurone Disease (MND).”

He said: “I feel fit and well in myself and I’m focused on staying positive, living life and dealing with the changes I will experience as they come.

“I am being well supported by my family, friends and medical professionals and I’m truly grateful to those who, in their time, helped progress research to support others, like me, living with this disease.

Since retiring from the sport in 2012, Moody and his wife, Annie, have dedicated much of their time to fundraising for The Lewis Moody Foundation, which supports those affected by brain tumours.

“My plan is to continue with this, but to also create an opportunity to support a charity closer to my current situation,” said Moody, who was awarded an MBE for services to rugby in 2004.

“I would be so grateful for your help with this and look forward to sharing more, once I am clear on what this looks like.”

Rugby players could be prone to motor neurone disease – but causes still unknown

Fellow rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow have died from the disease in recent years.

The sport – and in particular England skills coach Kevin Sinfield – have worked on high-profile fundraising campaigns to tackle it.

Athletes appear to be disproportionately likely to contract MND, which causes muscle weakness to the point it can eventually be hard to eat or breathe.

Research from Durham University found rugby players could be especially prone, as those who have suffered multiple concussions have higher levels of certain proteins in their blood that are linked to the disease.

But the exact cause of it remains unknown.

Read more: ‘Game changer’ test could spot motor neurone disease

“For now, please know I feel your love and support,” Moody added.

“All I ask is that I am given some space to navigate this with my wife and sons, and those closest to us – but without doubt, I will continue to embrace life and grasp opportunities in the same way I always have.”

A ‘glittering career’

Moody won 71 caps for England and also five for the British and Irish Lions, and was a seven-time title winner with Leicester.

He is perhaps best known for winning the final lineout during the 2003 World Cup final, which led to Jonny Wilkinson’s historic match-winning drop goal.

Lions Rugby Chair Ieuan Evans MBE said: “We are all greatly saddened to hear the news of Lewis Moody’s diagnosis.”

He added: “As a player, Lewis inspired so many fans during a glittering career.”

Moody joined Leicester Tigers from Oakham School and made 223 appearances between 1996 and 2010.

The club said everyone there was “deeply saddened to learn that one of our greatest players” had been diagnosed with MND.

“The figures, trophies and awards tell you what an incredible player Lewis was, but that is only half the story,” said Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchen.

“As an individual, his commitment to his club along with his warmth and passion shone through, which endeared him to teammates, staff and supporters alike.”