Disney Plus releases first look at Rivals Season 2

5 Dec

Written By

Disney+ has revealed the first-look character stills for the star-studded, highly anticipated next chapter of the Emmy and BAFTA award-winning series Rivals, inspired by the best-selling novel by the late and much-loved Dame Jilly Cooper.

The newly released images spotlight five iconic characters: Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant – Doctor Who, The Thursday Murder Club), Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell – The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Boys), Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner – Poldark, The Hobbit Trilogy), Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams – Black Lightning, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody) and Taggie O’Hara (Bella Maclean – Sex Education, London Tide).

Currently shooting in the UK, Rivals returns in 2026 with even sharper wit, heightened desire and more jaw-dropping twists. Power battles escalate, tensions flare and ambition pushes loyalties to breaking point.

Set against the sweeping Cotswolds countryside and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television, the second instalment reunites the acclaimed ensemble cast while introducing exciting new faces. After last season’s dramatic cliffhanger left Tony’s fate in question, Lord Baddingham is back—and hungry for revenge—determined to protect Corinium’s empire at any cost.

As professional and personal worlds collide, careers, marriages and reputations are on the line in a place where secrets never stay buried for long. Bold, emotionally charged and packed with unforgettable moments, Rivals delivers a gripping journey through a world of intense competition, stunning landscapes and life-altering choices, where the price of success could be everything.

Produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, Rivals is executive-produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal, Holding, EastEnders), Alexander Lamb (Ackley Bridge, The Bay, We Hunt Together), Felicity Blunt, Elliot Hegarty (Cheaters, Ted Lasso), Olivier Award-winning playwright Laura Wade (The Riot Club), author Dame Jilly Cooper, and Disney+ EMEA Scripted Content’s Jonny Richards. Eliza Mellor (The Midwich Cuckoos, Behind Her Eyes, Poldark) returns as Series Producer. The series is written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Sophie Goodhart, Sam Hoare, Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor, Sorcha Kurien-Walsh and Dare Aiyegbayo, and directed by Elliot Hegarty, Jamie J Johnson and Dee Koppang O’Leary. Rivals is adapted from Cooper’s novel of the same name, part of the bestselling Rutshire Chronicles. The series was commissioned by Disney+ EMEA’s Executive Director of Scripted Content, Lee Mason.