Rivals (TV series)

Rivals is an upcoming television series made for Disney+. It is an adaptation of the 1988 Jilly Cooper novel of the same name. It is set to star an ensemble cast including David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Lisa McGrillis, Alex Hassell, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer.

Synopsis
Set in the fictional English county of Rutshire, Rupert Campbell-Black (Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant) have a rivalry that seeps into the world of Corinium television station.

Cast

 * Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black
 * David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham
 * Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara
 * Victoria Smurfit as Maud O'Hara
 * Bella Maclean as Taggie O'Hara
 * Catriona Chandler as Caitlin O'Hara
 * Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook
 * Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker
 * Oliver Chris as James Vereker
 * Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
 * Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones
 * Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham
 * Luke Pasqualino as Basil ‘Bas’ Baddingham
 * Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton
 * Rufus Jones as Paul Stratton
 * Lara Peake as Daysee Butler
 * Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson
 * Maggie Steed as Lady Gosling
 * David Calder as Fergus Penney
 * Hubert Burton as Gerald Middleton
 * Luke S Roberts as Unnamed Character
 * Guy Siner as Bishop Brenton
 * Brendan Patricks as Henry Hampshire
 * Rich Keeble as Brian Hetherington

Production
In August 2022 it was reported that Disney+ were planning an eight-part adaptation of the Jilly Cooper novel Rivals. Dominic Treadwell-Collins, is on the writing and production team. Jilly Cooper, and Felicity Blunt, Cooper’s literary agent, are serving as executive producer on the show. It has been reported that the 1980s novel would be given as “ contemporary skew”.

The lead director is Elliot Hegarty who is also credited as executive producer on episodes 1-3. Eliza Mellor is series producer. The project is produced by Happy Prince with Alexander Lamb, Laura Wade, and Lee Mason also executive producers. Wade is also co-writer with Treadwell-Collins and a writers room that includes Sophie Goodhart, Marek Horn, Mimi Hare & Clare Naylor, Dare Aiyegbayo, Kefi Chadwick, Tray Agyeman, and Sorcha Kurien Walsh.

Casting
Casting in lead roles were announced in March 2023, with David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson & Alex Hassell amongst those cast. That same month, Victoria Smurfit and Aidan Turner were added to the cast. In May 2023, the cast was rounded out with the likes of Lara Peake and David Calder revealed to be in the cast.

Filming
The series became the first production to use ‘TBY2’, a new facility at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, Bristol. Filming also took place in Gloucestershire in March 2023.

Release
The series is expected to be released in the UK on Disney+ in mid to late 2024.