When it first dropped, we binge-watched the entire first season of Disney+'s Rivals in a single day, and have been desperately anticipating a season two ever since.
The eight-part series dropped on Disney+ on 18th October 2024, starring an iconic cast of David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean in an adaptation of Jilly Cooper's novel of the same name. Set in the mid 1980s, the series follows Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) and his arch-nemesis Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) for control of the TV station in the Cotswolds.
It's sexy, dramatic, and full of questionable 80s looks, and with several cliff hangers and loose ends to be tied up, we're dying to know if we're going to see the county of Rutshire again. So here's everything you need to know about a potential second season of Rivals.
Who is joining the cast of Rivals season 2?
This is not a drill! Two iconic actors have been confirmed to have joined the second season of Rivals.
First up is Hayley Atwell, who will be playing Helen Gordon, aka Rupert Campbell-Black's ex-wife and the mother to his two children. Hayley is of course best known for her roles in Mission Impossible and Agent Carter.
Also joining the cast is Rupert Everett as Malise Gordon, Helen's new husband and Rupert Campbell Black’s former show-jumping coach and mentor. Ok, we can't wait to see the showdown between Rupert and Malise.
When did production start on Rivals season two?
On 3rd February 2025, the Rivals writers revealed they had started on the scripts for more episodes, and we couldn't be more excited. As the plot is somewhat up in the air (more on that below), fans are waiting with baited breath to know exactly what might happen.
"Script meeting. #Rivals2 👠" television writer and producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins put on Instagram, alongside a snap of him with executive producer Alexander Lamb, the book's author Jilly Cooper and her agent Felicity Blunt. They were also posing with a cardboard cutout of Alexander Hassall, but of course.
And then on 9 May 2025 Disney+ revealed filming had begun for season two, and not only was it starting but four more episodes had been added to create a 12 episode long series for season two. Bring it on!
Has Rivals been confirmed for a second season?
Yes! On 4th December, Disney+ gave us an early Christmas present by confirming Rivals will be returning for a second season. And the icon herself Dame Jilly Cooper, who serves as an executive producer on the series, commented on the exciting news, saying: "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!"
Ahead of the confirmation of the news, the cast expressed their keenness to return, with Danny Dyer, who plays Freddie Jones, telling Radio Times he might be too busy to go back to Eastenders due to filming another season of Rivals, "We might be busy on the second series of Rivals so you know, Walford or Rivals – maybe I can do both."
And Victoria Smurfit, who plays Maud O'Hara, also suggested she would be keen to return, telling Radio Times: "I’d want a season 3 and 4. You’ve got so many glorious characters to follow."
Who is returning for Rivals season 2?
Big news guys, it's officially been confirmed David Tennant will be returning to reprise his role of Tony Baddingham in season two of Rivals. At the end of season one Tony was struck over the head by Cameron, and honestly looked close to death. So it's quite a surprise to see he'll back but we can't wait.
Also confirmed to return for season two are:
- Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell Black
- Bella Maclean as Taggie O'Hara
- Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook
- Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara
- Maud Smurfit as Maud O'Hara
- Catriona Chandler as Caitlin O'Hara
- Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham
- Luke Pasqualino as Basil 'Bas' Baddingham
- Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker
- Oliver Chris as James Vereker
- Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
- Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones
- Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton
- Rufus Jones as Paul Stratton
- Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson
What could happen in Rivals season 2?
Well this all depends if the series would want to follow the characters from Rivals, or divert and adapt the third book in the Rutshire Chronicles, Polo!
If season two were to follow the events of season one, we'd expect to get answers to if Tony Baddingham is actually alive following Cameron hitting him over the head. If he does live then it would be a case of seeing if his marriage with Lady Monica can survive and what he's going to do with himself now that he's lost the bid for the IBA.
There's also Sarah Stratton's pregnancy revelation, and the question of who the father is, her husband Paul or co-host James? We'd definitely be needing an answer to that. We'd also want to see a continuation of Freddie and Lizzie's affair, and of course the fall out of Maud leaving the family home to go back to acting in London.
One of the biggest cliff-hangers we'd also want answering is what happens with Taggie and Rupert. Spoiler alert: In the book the pair end up together and are then featured as a couple throughout the rest of the Rutshire Chronicles.
If the series were to follow the plot of third Rutshire Chronicles book Polo! instead, then the season would focus on the relationship between polo player Ricky France-Lynch and Perdita MacLeod, who is obsessed with both Ricky and becoming a top performing polo player.
Rivals season one is available on Disney+ now
