Rivals, Disney+‘s raunchy Jilly Cooper adaptation, has been renewed for a second series after it stormed the charts on the streaming platform.
The racy drama featured a star-studded cast led by David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Emily Atack and more, and it proved to be a huge hit for Disney+ upon its release in October. The series follows the lives of the residents of Rutshire, with the rivalry between TV executive Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant) and politician Rupert Campbell-Black (Hassell) taking centre stage.
When Tony hires hotshot journalist Declan O’Hara (Turner) to front a new talkshow in a bid to take Rupert down, Declan and his family become enmeshed in the raucous lives of the elite. Everyone is horny and no one is faithful in Rutshire, which causes some interesting conundrums for the characters.
So what do we know about season 2 and what can fans expect? Here is everything that you need to know. And be warned, as to be expected there are spoilers for series one.
What will Rivals series 2 be about?
Rivals’ first series ended on a dramatic note, with Tony seemingly being left for dead after a fight with his mistress Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams). The pair began to fight after Tony refused to accept Cameron’s decision to leave his network and move over to Corinium as Controller of Programmes.
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Tony first stopped Cameron in order to confront her about her relationship with Rupert, and though she brushes it off Tony tells her that he will get his divorce underway as soon as possible so that he and Cameron can be together. The stipulation he gives is that Cameron has to stop seeing Rupert and shouldn’t let him touch her again.
Cameron refuses which sends Tony into a horrific mood, he threatens to sack her to try and have her work visa revoked to which she quips that she could just marry Rupert instead. This proves to be the last straw for Tony, who slaps Cameron and she then fights him in response. When Tony lunges for her then she grabs the award and hits him on the head, with the character seemingly taking his last breath.
Series 2 will likely deal with the direct ramifications of this event, as Tony’s loss could have a huge ripple effect on all the characters and their jobs. It is also entirely possible that Tony will have survived, in which case there will be ramifications for Cameron.
When will Rivals series 2 be released?
No set release date has been confirmed for Rivals series 2 yet as it is likely too early for Disney+ to reveal its return, after all the first series release was only confirmed a month before it came out.
The streaming platform and Hulu, where it airs in the US, confirm its return closer to the time, but with filming yet to get underway it is unlikely to be back until 2026 at the earliest.
Sharing their thoughts on the love the show has received thus far, Lee Mason, Executive Director of Scripted Originals, EMEA Disney+, said in a statement: “It’s been phenomenal seeing the reaction to Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rivals – this autumn’s most talked about series. We’re thrilled that existing fans of the novels, alongside those new to the Cooperverse, have taken the series to their hearts.
“I can’t wait to get back to Rutshire and see what exciting drama the Happy Prince team have in store for season two — bring on more romance, betrayal, and shoulder pads!”
Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Chief Creative Officer of Happy Prince and Alexander Lamb, Creative Director of Happy Prince also said: “It’s been magical to receive the love back from viewers that we put into Rivals. The Rivals team set out to create people’s favourite television show, something enduring that our audience would take to their hearts and watch and rewatch. We’re delighted that we’re returning to Rutshire with Jilly and Disney+. It’s a special place to be.”
Who will star in Rivals series 2?
The cast for Rivals series 2 has not yet been confirmed but it is expected that many cast members will return including Hassell, Turner, Williams, Katherine Parkinson, Danny Dyer, Bella Maclean, Victoria Smurfit, and Emily Atack.
Whether Tennant will return to the role of Tony is up in the air, but Disney+ may well confirm this ahead of the new season’s release.
Reflecting on the show’s return, Cooper said in a statement: “Nearly 40 years after my novel Rivals was published, I’ve adored seeing the world fall in love with my beloved characters – Rutshire’s Finest. And it has been a fairytale come true working with Happy Prince and Disney+ on the first season.
“I’m orgasmic with excitement and cannot wait for the return of my superhero Rupert Campbell-Black and the rest of the characters in season two!”
Rivals series 1 is available to watch on Disney+ now.