This Morning halted Monday’s show to pay tribute to Jilly Cooper after it was announced she had died aged 88

This Morning’s Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley halted Monday’s show to pay tribute to Jilly Cooper.

The author of “bonkbusters” including Rivals, Riders and Polo, has died after a fall at the age of 88.

Her children Felix and Emily said her death on Sunday morning has come as a “complete shock”.

A statement 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.”

As the news was announced on Monday morning, This Morning halted the show to pay tribute to Jilly.

Host Ben, 50, said: “We’ve had some very tragic news in the last 30 minutes. Much-loved author and friend of the show, Dame Jilly Cooper, has sadly passed away at the age of 88.”

Cat, 48, added: “She was of course known for her best-selling romance novels, many of which have been adapted into films and TV shows. Most recently, the hit series Rivals.”

Ben then continued: “Yes Gyles [Brandreth, who is a commentator on This Morning], Jilly was a dear friend of yours, wasn’t she?”

This prompted Gyles, 77, to comment: “I first met her 55 years ago, I last saw her two weeks ago at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, for the Queen’s Reading Room Festival, where Queen Camilla was there.

“I was so thrilled to see Dame Jilly Cooper, who was in really good form, she was fun, she was funny, and she loved the fact that a lot of young people, teenagers, young women in their 20s, young men in their 20s, had come to see her because the television had brought back the popularity of her great books.”

Dame Jilly was best known for her books in The Rutshire Chronicles, featuring the showjumping lothario Rupert Campbell-Black.

One of the books, Rivals, was recently adapted for television by Disney+.