Rivals (TV series)

Rivals (TV series)

Rivals is a British period comedy-drama television series adapted from the 1988 novel by Jilly Cooper. It stars an ensemble cast including David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Emily Atack, and Danny Dyer. The first series was released on 18 October 2024 on Disney+. In December 2024, Rivals was renewed for a second series, which is set to premiere on 15 May 2026.

Synopsis

Rivals (TV series)

In 1986, the British nobleman and MP Rupert Campbell-Black and, coming from the bourgeoisie nouveau riche (though married into old money), Tony, Lord Baddingham, have a rivalry that seeps into the world of Baddingham's Corinium independent commercial television station, located in the (fictional) county of Rutshire, in the Cotswolds region of southwest England. Lord Baddingham brings American producer Cameron Cook to help strengthen Corinium's programming, and hires dynamic Irish newsman Declan O'Hara, husband of actress Maud, away from the BBC.

Cast and characters

Main

• Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black, a retired Olympian show jumper and notorious womanizer, now working as a Tory MP and sports minister. Despite his outward charm and facility with people, he lives a lonely life with his dogs. He is also shown to be a deeply caring friend. • David Tennant as Tony, Lord Baddingham, the ruthless managing director of Corinium Television. He is having an affair with Cameron. He attempts to instrumentalize Declan in his war against Rupert. • Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara, a temperamental Irish former BBC journalist who is recruited by Corinium to host his own show at the beginning of the series. After seeing Tony's true colours, he leaves Corinium to start his own company. He initially has a hostile relationship with Rupert, but the two gradually become friends and trusted colleagues. • Victoria Smurfit as Maud O'Hara, Declan's wife and a former actress whose marriage is recovering from an affair she had prior to the series, and is known to be flirtatious with other men. She is neglected by her workaholic husband and feels suffocated in her new life. • Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook, an American TV producer who works for Corinium and is having an affair with Tony. • Bella Maclean as Agatha ‘Taggie’ O'Hara, Declan and Maud's overlooked middle child with aspirations of opening her own catering company. She has several poor first impressions of Rupert, but gradually develops a crush on him as they spend more time together. • Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker, a romance author and resident of Rutshire who is good friends with Rupert. She is neglected by her narcissistic husband and is used to his affairs and lack of attention. She gradually develops a romantic connection with Freddie. • Oliver Chris as James Vereker, a TV host at Corinium and Lizzie's self-absorbed husband. • Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones, a self-made successful electronics businessman and resident in Rutshire in a loveless marriage. He is attracted to Lizzie. • Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones, Freddie's wife, a notorious social climber who runs a clothing boutique in town. She is often mocked for her bourgeois lack of taste. • Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton, the second wife and former mistress of MP Paul Stratton, with aspirations of being a television presenter. • Rufus Jones as Paul Stratton, a British MP going through a mid-life crisis who is embroiled in an adultery scandal at the beginning of the series. • Claire Rushbrook as Monica, Lady Baddingham, Tony's wife, an introvert generally uninvested in her husband’s business. • Luke Pasqualino as Basil 'Bas' Baddingham, Tony's younger and promiscuous half-brother who owns the local bar.

Supporting

• Gabriel Tierney as Patrick O'Hara, Declan and Maud's eldest child who harbours feelings for Cameron. He is a young idealist. • Catriona Chandler as Caitlin O'Hara, Declan and Maud's youngest child who is attending boarding school. • Gary Lamont as Charles Fairburn, the controller of programmes at Corinium who has a secret romance with Gerald. • Bryony Hannah as Deirdre Kilpatrick, an assistant to James Vereker at Corinium. • Rich Keeble as Brian Hetherington, a director at Corinium. • Milo Callaghan as Seb Burrows, a journalist at Corinium. He offers to be a spy for Venturer and is fired by Tony as a result. He begins dating Taggie. • Lara Peake as Daysee Butler, a production assistant at Corinium. • Denise Black as Joyce Madden, Tony's assistant. • David Calder as Reverend Fergus Penney, Lady Gosling's right-hand man. • Hubert Burton as Gerald Middleton, Rupert's personal aide and a conservative political hopeful. • Brendan Patricks as Henry Hampshire, a member of the local Rutshire aristocracy. • Olivia Poulet as Hermione Hampshire, wife of Henry. • Guy Siner as Bishop Brenton, a clergyman. • Wendy Albiston as Mrs Makepiece, a housekeeper and help hired by multiple residents of Rutshire. • Louis Landau as Archie Baddingham, Tony and Monica’s teenage son. • Maggie Steed as Lady Gosling, the steely no-nonsense chair of the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). • Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson, a journalist who is in a relationship with Rupert at the beginning of the series. • Anastasia Griffith as Helen Gordon, Rupert's ex-wife and mother of his two children.

Episodes

Rivals (TV series)

<table><thead><tr><th>No.</th><th>Title</th><th>Directed by</th><th>Written by</th><th>Original release date</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>"Episode 1"</td><td>Elliot Hegarty</td><td>Dominic Treadwell-Collins</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>To bolster his television company, Corinium, Tony, Lord Baddingham recruits renowned journalist Declan O'Hara and ambitious American producer Cameron Cook. As Declan and his family relocate to the countryside, he faces unexpected challenges on his inaugural day at Corinium.</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>"Episode 2"</td><td>Elliot Hegarty</td><td>Laura Wade</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>Under pressure to deliver a successful new show, Declan collaborates with Cameron, despite their differing approaches. Tony, aiming to secure businessman Freddie Jones for Corinium's board, attends a dinner party where unexpected guests lead to unforeseen complications.</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>"Episode 3"</td><td>Elliot Hegarty</td><td>Sophie Goodhart</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>During the festive season, Declan is concerned about his wife Maud's extravagant plans for their son's upcoming 21st birthday celebration. Meanwhile, Taggie O'Hara seeks to reconnect with a past love, orchestrating what she hopes will be a memorable evening.</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>"Episode 4"</td><td>Elliot Hegarty</td><td>Marek Horn</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>Preparing for a live television interview, Declan aims to challenge Rupert Campbell-Black. Tony invites Freddie to an exclusive pheasant shoot, hoping to persuade him to join Corinium's board. Encouraged by Rupert, Taggie begins to assert her independence.</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>"Episode 5"</td><td>Dee Koppang O'Leary</td><td>Clare Naylor & Mimi Hare</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>Corinium Studios is abuzz as preparations are underway for its inaugural beauty pageant and an exclusive interview with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Declan's confidence grows with each successful broadcast, yet he remains driven by a desire for journalistic excellence.</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>"Episode 6"</td><td>Alexandra Brodski</td><td>Dare Aiyegbayo</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>Attending an awards ceremony in Spain solo, Cameron unexpectedly encounters Rupert at the same venue. Rupert takes a strategic risk to support Venturer, a new company poised to challenge Tony's Corinium.</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>"Episode 7"</td><td>Dee Koppang O'Leary</td><td>Kefi Chadwick</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>Upon discovering that Rupert, Declan, and Freddie have established Venturer to compete against his bid for the television franchise, Tony is incensed. However, morale at Corinium lifts when the company receives a prestigious award nomination. Taggie offers her assistance in campaigning for Venturer.</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>"Episode 8"</td><td>Alexandra Brodski</td><td>Laura Wade</td><td>18 October 2024 (2024-10-18)</td></tr><tr><td>A paranoid Tony demands unwavering loyalty from his team. As Corinium and Venturer gear up for a pivotal public meeting to determine the franchise's future, both sides employ every tactic to win over the local community.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Production

Rivals (TV series)

In August 2022, it was reported that Disney+ were planning an eight-part adaptation of the Jilly Cooper novel Rivals. Dominic Treadwell-Collins was on the writing and production team, whilst Cooper and Felicity Blunt, Cooper's literary agent, would serve as executive producers on the show. It was reported that the 1980s novel would be given a "contemporary skew".

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

In December 2024, it was renewed for a second series.

Casting

Casting in lead roles was announced in March 2023, with David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, and 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 Lara Peake and David Calder revealed to be joining the series.

Rupert Everett, Hayley Atwell and Maxim Ays as well as Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, Amanda Lawrence, Olive Tennant, Amelie Child-Villiers and Oliver Dench were amongst those who joined the cast for the second series.

Filming

The series, which started filming in March 2023, was one of the initial productions to use TBY2, a newly completed facility at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, Bristol. Filming also took place in Tetbury in Gloucestershire in March 2023. Filming for the second season began on 21 May 2025. Filming locations included Clevedon, Somerset and Corsham, Wiltshire.

Release

Rivals (TV series)

The first series was released in the UK and internationally, including Australia, on Disney+ and in the United States on Hulu on 18 October 2024. The second series is set to be released in two six-episode batches, with the first batch on 15 May 2026.

Reception

Viewership

The streaming aggregator Reelgood, which tracks 20 million monthly viewing decisions across all streaming platforms in the U.S., reported that Rivals was the tenth most-streamed series in the U.S. during the week of 10 October. It remained in tenth place for the weeks ending 6 and 13 November.

Critical response

For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 95% approval rating, based on 40 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "A caustic comedy with swagger, Rivals makes class warfare and catty behavior addictive viewing." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 84 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

Sophie Gilbert of The Atlantic asserted Rivals captures Jilly Cooper's indulgent world of romantic intrigue and class satire. She praised the adaptation's blend of absurdity and serious pleasure, calling Alex Hassell's portrayal of Rupert both excessive and sympathetic. She found the clash between the '80s TV industry and the pastoral Cotswolds setting unified by rampant sexuality, adding a campy charm. Gilbert stated that the show balances humor with affection for Cooper's era and that its joy and lightheartedness offer a welcome contrast to recent, darker TV series. Rachel Cooke of the New Statesman said that Rivals exudes "sheer, unadulterated perkiness," celebrating Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles as an unapologetic romp through 1980s British life. She praised the adaptation's treatment as a period piece, reminiscent of Vanity Fair and The Forsyte Saga, praising its humor and satirical edge while avoiding self-consciousness. She found the ensemble cast, particularly Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black and Tennant as Lord Baddingham, delivered standout performances. Cooke described the show as deeply satisfying and entertaining, full of double entendres and cliffhangers, inviting viewers to enjoy humor in the absurdities of social pretensions.

Lucy Mangan of The Guardian gave Rivals five out of five stars. She said the series launches with bold energy and adherence to Jilly Cooper's original, unapologetically scandalous style. Mangan appreciated that Disney+ preserved the novel's essential elements—sex, excess, and Cooper's sharp social observations—without toning them down. She found the adaptation adept at balancing the over-the-top 1980s attitudes with modern sensibilities, noting its "light touch" and genuine commitment to bringing Rutshire to life. Mangan stated that the adaptation keeps the "rambunctious joy" of Cooper's original, treating escapism as a necessary pleasure rather than a sin. David Opie of Empire rated Rivals four out of five stars. He praised the adaptation for preserving the scandalous and addictive appeal of Jilly Cooper's novels, attributing this to Dominic Treadwell-Collins's expertise in soapy melodrama. He found that the show captures the indulgent spirit of 1980s primetime soaps like Dallas and Dynasty, complimenting the lavish budget and the cast's self-aware performances, especially David Tennant, Aidan Turner, and Katherine Parkinson. Opie stated that the series delivers a "hedonistic riot" and is a confident, nostalgic escape that's both explosive and endlessly enjoyable.

Nick Curtis of The London Standard similarly found the series brash and cartoonish (a description he contrasts with what he considers "good TV") but highly entertaining, calling it "the epitome of guilty-pleasure TV". Rating the series 4 out of 5 stars, he credited Treadwell-Collins and director Elliott Hegarty with understanding the inherent absurdity of Cooper's novel, noting the adaptation is "suffused with affection for Cooper and for the decade that was once a byword for gaudy excess but now looks rather quaint". Curtis praised the star power of the cast, singling out Katherine Parkinson as the show's "human heart", and acknowledged that the show's confident tone compensated for occasional pacing issues and a lack of subtlety.

Ed Power of The Irish Times describes the series as having "too many pants around the ankles, not enough plot". While acknowledging the show was "razor sharp about anti-Irish prejudice in Britain in the 1980s" and successfully captured "the go-go naffness of Margaret Thatcher's Britain", Power found the abundance of sex scenes "silly, prurient and juvenile and waggled in our faces to the point where it becomes a tiresome non-gag". He also wrote that the central rivalry's motivation is unclear, and pointed to a potential cultural difference in taste: "discerning viewers on this side of the Irish Sea might wish for less bonking [...] and more plot".

Accolades

Rivals (TV series)

The series was nominated at the 2025 Broadcast Awards with "Agatha is shocked to discover Rupert and Sarah playing tennis in the nude" nominated for TV Moment of the Year. That scene was also nominated for Most Memorable moment at the 2025 British Academy Television Awards. Aidan Turner was nominated for Best Actor and Victoria Smurfit for Best Supporting Actress at the Irish Film and Television Awards in January 2025. The series was nominated for New Drama at the National Television Awards.

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Award</th><th>Category</th><th>Recipient</th><th>Result</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2024</td><td>iTalkTelly Awards</td><td>Best New Drama</td><td>Rivals</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Breakthrough</td><td>Bella Maclean</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2025</td><td>Broadcast Awards</td><td>TV Moment of the Year</td><td>Rivals</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Irish Film and Television Awards</td><td>Best Supporting Actress</td><td>Victoria Smurfit</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Supporting Actor</td><td>Aidan Turner</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Broadcasting Press Guild Awards</td><td>Best Drama series</td><td>Rivals</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Actor</td><td>Danny Dyer</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Actress</td><td>Katherine Parkinson</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>BPG Breakthrough</td><td>Bella Maclean</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Casting Director’s Guild Awards</td><td>Best Casting in a TV Drama Series</td><td>Kelly Valentine Hendry, Lilly Hanbury and Jessica Mescall (Associates)</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Royal Television Society Programme Awards</td><td>Writer - Drama</td><td>Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Supporting Actor - Male</td><td>Danny Dyer</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Supporting Actor - Female</td><td>Katherine Parkinson</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>British Academy Television Awards</td><td>P&O Cruises Memorable Moment</td><td>The Naked Tennis Scene</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Leading Actor</td><td>David Tennant</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Supporting Actress</td><td>Katherine Parkinson</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>BAFTA TV Craft Awards</td><td>Make up & Hair Design</td><td>Jill Sweeney, Abi Brotherton, Natalie Allen, Tiffany Pierre, Franziska Roesslhuber, Martine Watkins</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Original Music: Fiction</td><td>Natalie Holt, Jack Halama</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Production Design</td><td>Dominic Hyman</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Scripted Casting</td><td>Kelly Valentine Hendry</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ivor Novello Awards</td><td>Best Television Soundtrack</td><td>Jack Halama, Natalie Holt</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>National Film Awards</td><td>Best Actor</td><td>David Tennant</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Broadcast Digital Awards</td><td>Best Drama Programme</td><td>Rivals</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Programme of the Year</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>National Television Awards</td><td>New Drama</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>International Emmy Awards</td><td>Drama Series</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>British Academy Scotland Awards</td><td>Audience Award</td><td>Gary Lamont</td><td>Pending</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Actor Film / Television</td><td>David Tennant</td><td>Pending</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>