Jilly Cooper's novels made into TV shows and films including early Downton Abbey star role

Beloved author Jilly Cooper has tragically died following a reported fall at the age of 88.

Renowned for writing numerous popular "bonkbuster" novels, including the legendary Rutshire Chronicles, the novelist captivated millions of readers throughout her decades-spanning career.

Her children Felix and Emily released a statement saying: "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.

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"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."

But how many screen adaptations exist of her works and where can viewers find them?, reports the Express.

Remarkably, only a small number of titles from Cooper's extensive catalogue have been transformed into television programmes or films.

Despite publishing an incredible 18 novels throughout her career, including 11 volumes in the Rutshire collection, merely four have actually reached our screens.

Her debut and perhaps most cherished book, Riders, became a 1993 television film starring Marcus Gilbert from Doctor Who as Rupert Campbell-Black, the charming MP and former showjumper at the heart of the romantic tale.

The cast also included Emmerdale's Michael Praed as the Romani heartthrob Jake Lovell, another equestrian competitor seeking vengeance after enduring years of torment from Rupert. Regrettably, despite being produced by Anglia Films for ITV, Riders is not currently available for streaming on the channel's on-demand service ITVX.

The film has also been largely eclipsed by the most recent adaptation of Cooper's work, Rivals, which is based on the second book in the Rutshire Chronicles.

Launched last year on Disney+, this high-budget production starred Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black and David Tennant as his adversary, Lord Tony Baddingham, a ruthless television executive.

A second series is currently under development, which could adapt further entries in the Rutshire series, including Polo and The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous.

However, the latter novel, which is the fourth in the Rutshire Chronicles, has already been transformed into a three-part miniseries released in 1997, this time featuring Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville as Ferdinand Fitzgerald in one episode.

Hollyoaks' Stephen Billington took on the role of tennis player Lysander Hawksley. Again, this series is currently not available to stream, though this could change following Cooper's death and the popularity of Rivals.

The very first adaptation of Cooper's work was actually launched back in 1976.

Based on her debut romance novel, Emily, this six-part series was produced for Thames Television and featured Gemma Craven as the titular fiancée of a dull Tory MP who gets swept off her feet by artist Rory (played by Ronald Pickup).

Jilly Cooper fans will have to be patient as the obscure series Rivals is currently not streaming and is only set to return next year.

Before her novels catapulted her to global fame, Cooper was the brains behind the 1971 sitcom It's Awfully Bad for Your Eyes, Darling, which aired for a single six-episode season on the BBC and featured Joanna Lumley.

The show revolved around four posh women sharing a London flat. Unfortunately, only the pilot episode remains in the BBC archives, with the rest of the episodes lost.

Rivals is available to stream on Disney+.