Rivals season 2 confirmed for Disney+ as Jilly Cooper says she's 'orgasmic with excitement'
The screening giant has announced the second series of the story based on the novel of the same name by Dame Jilly Cooper, which is set in the Cotswolds in the 1980s.
Britain's sexiest TV series Rivals, starring David Tennant and an all-star cast, is to return to Disney+ for another season after viewers were left on a cliffhanger at the end of season one.
The screening giant has announced the second series of the story based on the novel of the same name by Dame Jilly Cooper, which is set in the Cotswolds in the 1980s.
Rivals, which is part of Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles and is packed full of hilarious put downs, romantic entanglements, sex and dastardly characters is set around the antics of the power-grabbing social elite in the fictional county of the apty named Rutshire, in England's Cotswolds, and centres on the ruthless world of independent television.
The story follows Cooper’s novel on the infamous scoundrel Rupert Campbell-Black and his rivalry with Tony Baddingham, played by David Tennant, that seeps into the world of Baddingham’s Corinium independent commercial television station.
Dame Jilly Cooper, Executive Producer and Rivals author, said: “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.”
Alex Haskell plays lothario Rupert Campbell-Black while Danny Dyer, Emily Atack, Victoria Smurfit, Katherine Parkinson, Danny Dyer, Nafessa Williams, Luke Pasqualino and Gary Lamont also star.
Lee Mason, Executive Director of Scripted Originals, EMEA Disney+, added: “It’s been phenomenal seeing the reaction to Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rivals - this autumn’s most talked about series.
“We’re thrilled that existing fans of the novels, alongside those new to the Cooperverse, have taken the series to their hearts. I can’t wait to get back to Rutshire and see what exciting drama the Happy Prince team have in store for season two – bring on more romance, betrayal, and shoulder pads!’”
Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Chief Creative Officer of Happy Prince and Alexander Lamb, Creative Director of Happy Prince said: "It's been magical to receive the love back from viewers that we put into Rivals. The Rivals team set out to create people's favourite television show, something enduring that our audience would take to their hearts and watch and rewatch. We're delighted that we're returning to Rutshire with Jilly and Disney+. It's a special place to be."
Top showbiz news
Rivals will return to Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the UK and internationally.
All episodes of Rivals season 1 are available to stream now, exclusively on Disney+.
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