BBC viewers witnessed an extraordinary moment of timing on Monday evening when BBC's University Challenge concluded with a question about Dame Jilly Cooper, just hours after news broke of the beloved author's passing.
The final query of the programme asked contestants to identify the fictional Cotswolds county featured in Cooper's novels, including Riders and Rivals.
Before Imperial College London or Churchill College Cambridge could respond, the closing gong sounded.
The remarkable coincidence occurred during the quiz show's first-round match, which ended with Churchill securing victory at 175 points to Imperial's 160.
Dame Jilly Cooper was one of the nation's best-loved authors | PAHost Amol Rajan had posed the Cooper-related question as part of a bonus round on fictional locations when time expired.
The celebrated novelist passed away on Sunday morning following a fall, her publisher confirmed. She was 88 years old.
Her two children released a statement expressing their profound grief on Monday, stating: "Mum, was the shining light in all of our lives. Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds."
They described the author's passing as completely unexpected, adding: "Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock.
University Challenge featured a question on Jilly Cooper on the day her death was announced
|BBC
"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."
Cooper held the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, an honour reflecting her significant contributions to British literature and culture.
Social media users quickly noted the extraordinary timing of the broadcast. One viewer described the coincidence as a "glorious epitaph" for the late author, whilst another called the moment "spooky".
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Dame Jilly Cooper wrote a number of bestselling novels | PAMultiple posts on X highlighted the significance of Cooper featuring in the programme's closing seconds. "How fitting there was a Jilly Cooper question," one user wrote.
Another observing the question served as a "nice little tribute".
The synchronicity struck many as particularly meaningful given Cooper's enduring place in British popular culture.
Viewers characterised the moment using terms ranging from "apt" to "whoo! spooky", with several expressing amazement that the quiz programme concluded with a reference to the author on the very day her death was announced.
University Challenge fans were stunned by the coincidence
|BBC
Dame Cooper initially gained prominence through her work as a columnist for the Sunday Times, where she chronicled domestic mishaps and everyday chaos.
The author later transformed into what many termed the Queen of the Bonkbusters, penning a succession of novels set in the fictional Rutshire.
These books, featuring equestrian settings and romantic entanglements, established her reputation for capturing British preoccupations with social hierarchy, romance, retail therapy and canines.