Emily Atack insists 'perverts killed sex on TV' as she defends Rivals

by · Mail Online

Emily Atack has insisted 'the world needs' her new Disney+ series Rivals as an escape from reality, during an interview on Monday's Loose Women.

As she spoke about new 'bonkbuster' Rivals, the comedian and Inbetweeners star, 34, credited the Me Too movement for saving sex on TV after 'perverts killed the fun'.

In her new role, Emily, who plays the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, Sarah Stratton, appears fully naked to play tennis with Alex Hassell's character Rupert Campbell Black, who is also starkers.

The actress also strips down to black lingerie for a romp all within the first 25 minutes of the first episode. 

However, Emily stressed that stripping off for sexy scenes in her career does not undermine her campaigning to end violence against women.

Emily Atack, 34, has insisted 'the world needs her new Disney+ series Rivals' as an escape from reality, during an interview on Monday's Loose Women
In her new role, Emily, who plays the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, Sarah Stratton, appears fully naked to play tennis with Alex Hassell's character Rupert Campbell Black, who is also starkers 

Speaking to Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, Katie Piper and Brenda Edwards about her new raunchy role in the series, Emily credited the show for touching on sensitive subjects 'brilliantly'.

She said: 'I think the world needs this at the moment and it is escapism. It touches on really sensitive subjects and it does it brilliantly.

'It's very unusual, a different dynamic to navigate but it shows to me that finally people are understanding that these things need to be in place. 

'The perverts have killed the fun, the Me Too movement has put all these amazing things into place.'

She continued: 'I am actually fine with it [stripping] you know. People think you can't do both. [campaign for women against sexual harassments while going nude on TV].

'I'm exactly where I was meant to be, we have intimacy coordinators, we are all being professionals. 

'I am not going to change what I am doing, it's my work, it's the other people that have to watch what they are doing.'

Emily starred in a 'provocative' campaign using the slogan 'I'm asking for it' earlier this year, which calls for a change in the laws on rape and sexual assault.

As she spoke about new 'bonkbuster' Rivals, the comedian and Inbetweeners star credited the Me Too movement for saving sex on TV after 'perverts killed the fun'
The actress also strips down to her black lingerie all within the first 25 minutes of the first episode
However, Emily stressed that stripping off for sexy scenes in her career does not undermine her campaigning to end violence against women
Speaking to Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, Katie Piper and Brenda Edwards about her new raunchy role in the series, Emily credited the show for touching on sensitive subjects 'brilliantly'
She said: 'I think the world needs this at the moment and it is escapism. It touches on really sensitive subjects and it does it brilliantly... The perverts have killed the fun, the Me Too movement have put all these amazing things into place'
Emily earlier this year starred in a 'provocative' campaign using the slogan 'I'm asking for it' which calls for a change in the laws on rape and sexual assault 

The TV star also previously explored the alarming rise in online sexual harassment for BBC2 documentary Emily Atack: Asking For It after experiencing repeated daily abuse across her Instagram and TikTok accounts.

Emily said one of her regular online abusers is a married father who frequently creates fake accounts in order to send her sexually explicit messages.

She previously explained her motivation for campaigning for tougher laws concerning harassment and the impact it has on her and her family's mental health.

Emily is completely nude in the eye-popping series, where she protects her modesty with a just tennis ball and racket.

As well as Emily, her co-star Alex dares to bare in the cheeky game of tennis.

Emily's character Sarah is married to Deputy Prime Minister Paul Stratton but is having a fling on the side with Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black, played by Alex.

Of the racy scenes, Emily told Sky News: 'It's so liberating and of course there are going to be people out there that take what you do and try and spin this negative narrative on it. I'm a woman, of course people are going to do that.

Emily's appearance comes after she praised Disney+'s 'bonkbuster' and described the nude scenes in the hit show as 'liberating'
In Rivals, the actress strips off to play tennis with Alex Hassell's character Rupert Campbell Black, who is also starkers 
Of the racy scenes, Emily told Sky News: 'It's so liberating and of course there are going to be people out there that take what you do and try and spin this negative narrative on it. I'm a woman, of course people are going to do that.' 

'But what I need to keep doing is stressing to people is I'm exactly where I need to be, I'm at work. I'm playing a role and I'm very comfortable.'

Emily has also spoken about how she finds attitudes to nudity frustrating.

The star previously told The Radio Times: 'You can't win whatever you do. If you keep your clothes on you're a frigid nun, if you take your clothes off you're a tart.

'But I love my job and if a role I'm playing requires nudity and it's integral to the story and I'm safe, I'm exactly where I should be. The whole cast were warned early on that there would be nudity and sex scenes, so you knew what you were getting into.

'These kinds of roles are fun. I'm still young and it's OK to feel liberated. I enjoy what I do. And it's Jilly Cooper - it's an honour to do it.'

Rivals is based on Jilly's 1988 novel, and follows the cutthroat world of independent television in 1986.

It focuses on the tense rivalry between Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) and stars Emily as Sarah Stratton, who is described as ambitious and not afraid to use her looks to get to the top.

According to Disney+, Rivals is a 'joyously mischievous rollercoaster ride, steamy in its love stories and packed with larger-than-life characters.'