Claire Rushbrook has revealed the unexpected way Rivals producers told her that Lady Monica Baddingham was being written out of the hit Disney+ drama.

The actor, 55, whose character was killed in a car crash in the latest episode, admitted she was taken completely by surprise when producers Alex Lamb and Dominic Treadwell-Collins told her Monica’s story was coming to an end.

Rushbrook told Radio Times magazine: “I thought it was just a lovely champagne lunch. Then they walloped me round the head with it.

“They were incredibly gracious but you know when you fall over and very quickly get up and style it out?…