Disney+ unveiled the new trailer for the return of the Hulu Original “Rivals” Season 2, offering fans a taste of what to expect from the rest of the series. Based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s best-selling and beloved Rutshire Chronicles, the critically acclaimed series returns with a three-episode premiere on Wednesday 11 November on Disney+ in the UK and internationally, and Hulu in the U.S.
As the return to the scandal and excess of 1987 edges closer, the residents of Rutshire reunite for more revelry, rivalry and romance, but as the stakes ramp-up they must face tragedy, heartbreak, backstabbing, and betrayal head on.
Episodes 7-12 pick up after the heartbreaking mid-series finale. Tony Baddingham and Declan O’Hara’s battle for the Cotswolds crown reaches fever pitch, while Rupert Campbell-Black is forced to confront his own personal demons. Against a backdrop of hedonistic parties, Bonfire Night chaos, the Hampshire Hunt Ball and a turbulent Christmas, affairs unravel, alliances fracture and rivalries intensify. Caught in the middle of the frenzied franchise war, Taggie O’Hara must find the courage to follow her heart, while those around her face the consequences of ambition, power and secrets that can no longer remain hidden. But as series two draws to a close, who will get their happy ending?
Ahead of its highly anticipated return and following rave reviews, Disney+ also recently announced it had been greenlit for a third season, with twelve new episodes confirmed.
Reprising their iconic roles are David Tennant (‘Doctor Who’, ‘The Thursday Murder Club’) as Lord Tony Baddingham, Alex Hassell (‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’, ‘The Boys’) as Rupert Campbell-Black, Aidan Turner (‘Poldark’, ‘The Suspect’) as Declan O’Hara, Nafessa Williams (‘Black Lightning’, ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody’) as Cameron Cook, Bella Maclean (‘Sex Education’, ‘London Tide’) as Taggie O’Hara, Katherine Parkinson (‘Humans’, ‘Here We Go’) as Lizzie Vereker, Danny Dyer (‘EastEnders, ‘The Football Factory’) as Freddie Jones, Victoria Smurfit (‘Bloodlands’, ‘Once Upon A Time’) as Maud O’Hara, Claire Rushbrook (‘Sherwood’, ‘Ali and Ava’) as Lady Monica Baddingham, Oliver Chris (‘The Crown’, ‘Trying’) as James Vereker, Lisa McGrillis (‘Maternal’, ‘Mum’) as Valerie Jones, Emily Atack (‘The Emily Atack Show’, ‘The Inbetweeners’) as Sarah Stratton, Rufus Jones (‘W1A’, ‘Home’) as Paul Stratton, Luca Pasqualino (‘The Musketeers’, ‘Shantaram’) as Basil ‘Bas’ Baddingham, Catriona Chandler as Caitlin O’Hara (‘Wild Cherry’, ‘Pistol’), Annabel Scholey (‘The Split’) as Beattie Johnson, Gary Lamont (‘Boiling Point’, ‘Outlander’) as Charles Fairburn, Hubert Burton (‘Wolf Hall’, ‘Living’) as Gerald Middleton, Gabriel Tierney (‘The Winter King’, ‘Enola Holmes 2’) as Patrick O’Hara, Lara Peake (‘How To Have Sex’, ‘Reunion’) as Daysee Butler and Bryony Hannah (‘Call The Midwife’, ‘Unforgotten’) as Deirdre Kilpatrick.
Previously announced new cast members are also set to join the series return, with Rachael Stirling (‘Believe Me’, ‘Detectorists’) introduced as Araminta Pemberton, Lady Monica Baddingham’s vampish younger sister, Rupert Evans (‘Gone’, ‘The Man In The High Castle’) as erudite headmaster David Hawkley, and Santiago Cabrera (‘Big Little Lies’, ‘Star Trek: Picard’) as Argentinian Polo legend Alejandro Mendoza. Also returning are guest stars, Hayley Atwell (‘Mission Impossible’, ‘Agent Carter’) as Helen Gordon and Rupert Everett (‘Napoleon’, ‘My Policeman’) as Malise Gordon.
“Rivals”, made by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, is executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (‘A Very English Scandal’, ‘Holding’, ‘EastEnders’), Alexander Lamb (‘Ackley Bridge’, ‘The Bay’, ‘We Hunt Together’), Felicity Blunt, Elliot Hegarty (‘Cheaters’, ‘Ted Lasso’), Olivier Award-winning playwright Laura Wade (‘The Riot Club’), “Rivals” author Dame Jilly Cooper. Eliza Mellor (‘The Midwich Cuckoos’, ‘Behind Her Eyes’, ‘Poldark’) returns as Series Producer. It is written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Sophie Goodhart, Sam Hoare, Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor, Sorcha Kurien-Walsh and Dare Aiyegbayo, directed by Elliot Hegarty, Jamie J Johnson and Dee Koppang O’Leary. “Rivals” is based on the novel of the same name, part of Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles. The series was commissioned by VP Scripted Content for Disney+ EMEA, Lee Mason.
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All episodes of Season 1 and the first six episodes of “Rivals” Season 2 are available to stream now on Disney+.
