Kristina Roberts
Disney+ UK’s breakout drama Rivals is officially back in production, and this time, the hit series is getting an upgrade.
Season 2 of the Jilly Cooper adaptation has begun filming and will feature an expanded run of 12 episodes—up from the eight-episode debut that became the streamer’s most successful general entertainment launch in the UK.
Starring David Tennant, Aidan Turner, and Danny Dyer, Rivals dives into the second half of Cooper’s beloved novel. The new season promises more intrigue, drama, and tangled relationships as careers, marriages, and reputations are pushed to the brink. Secrets won’t stay buried for long in this cutthroat world.
The full ensemble is returning, including Katherine Parkinson, Nafessa Williams, Alex Hassell, and Bella Maclean, alongside Tennant, Turner, and Dyer.
The announcement comes just ahead of the BAFTA Awards, where Rivals is in contention with six nominations—an impressive recognition for its debut season.
Author Jilly Cooper expressed her delight: “It was magical working with Happy Prince and Disney+ on the first season and seeing everyone fall head over heels for my beloved characters.”
Executive producers Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Alexander Lamb shared their excitement: “We are thrilled to return to Rutshire with twelve episodes for Season 2. Having the same cast and crew back makes this journey even more special. We can’t wait to show fans more of Jilly’s world.”
Rivals is produced by Happy Prince, a label under ITV Studios, and executive produced by Treadwell-Collins, Lamb, Felicity Blunt, Elliot Hegarty, Laura Wade, Jilly Cooper, and Lee Mason, who commissioned the series as Disney+ EMEA’s Executive Director of Scripted Content. Writing credits include Treadwell-Collins, Wade, Sophie Goodhart, Sam Hoare, Kefi Chadwick, Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor, Sorcha Kurien-Walsh, and Dare Aiyegbayo. Direction is helmed by Hegarty, Jamie J Johnson, and Dee Koppang O’Leary.
