'Rivals' Season 2 Adds Four Episodes as Filming Begins

Get ready for an extended trip back to Rutshire. Season 2 of Hulu's soapy, throwback drama Rivals has officially started filming, and its second outing is going to be supersized. Disney+ and Hulu announced that its order has been expanded to 12 episodes, up from the eight that comprised the first season. If you follow the workings of the television industry at all, you're probably already aware that this sort of move is exceedingly rare, and a sign of the streamers' faith in the show.

Based on the bestselling series of novels by Dame Jilly Cooper, Rivals ostensibly follows the titular rivalry between former Olympian turned Tory politician Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and ambitious television executive Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant). But the series ultimately took some liberties with its source material, fleshing out some secondary characters and adding some unexpected narrative swerves along the way. Its first season ended with drama of the professional, journalistic, and romantic variety, and leaves plenty of intriguing questions for its second to deal with (and which I will not spoil for you here). 

The production announcement came with some behind-the-scenes footage of the Season 2 table read, and a photo of Tennant's script. This move would seem to put to rest one of the key questions raised by Season 1's cliffhanger ending, which saw Tony left for dead in a pool of blood on the floor of his office after being [redacted] by [redacted]. Whether he's permanently injured in some way or just really pissed off is a question the second outing will have to answer, but it seems likely that some level of over the top vengeance will likely be on Tony's agenda next season. 

Alongside Tennant and Hassell, the main cast from Season 1 are all reprising their roles. Aidan Turner (Poldark) is news journalist Declan O’Hara, with Victoria Smurfit (Bloodlands) as his wife, Maude, Bella Maclean (Sex Education) as their eldest daughter, Taggie, and Catriona Chandler (Pistol) as their younger daughter, Caitlin. Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood) plays Lord Tony’s wife Monica, with Luca Pasqualino as his younger Bail 'Bas' Baddingham. Katherine Parkinson (Doc Martin) plays romance novelist Lizzie Vereker, with Oliver Chris (My Lady Jane) as her husband Paul, Danny Dyer (Henpocalypse!) as wealthy tech entrepreneur Freddie Jones, and Nafessa Williams (Black Lighting) as American TV producer Cameron Cook. 

Other members of the sprawling cast include Oliver Chris (The Crown) as James Vereker, Lisa McGrillis (Mum) as Valerie Jones, Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners) as Sarah Stratton, and Rufus Jones (Whitstable Pearl) as Paul Stratton. New faces will reportedly be joining the group in Season 2, but thus far, Disney and Hulu are remaining tight-lipped about who those cast members and characters might be.

Here's the Season 2 synopsis. 

Set against the backdrop of the stunning Cotswolds countryside and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television, the second instalment will see the return of the all-star cast that won the hearts of fans and critics alike as well as introducing brand new faces. 

Careers, marriages, and reputations hang in the balance as personal and professional lives collide in a world where secrets can’t stay hidden for long. Bold, emotionally charged, and filled with unforgettable moments, “Rivals” is a thrilling ride through a landscape of breathtaking beauty, fierce competition, and life-changing decisions—where the cost of success could be everything. 

The first season has become the most successful general entertainment premiere on Disney+ in the U.K. to date and has garnered a fair bit of award recognition, including a British Press Guild Award for Dyer and BAFTA TV Award nominations for Tennant and Parkinson.

“I’m utterly sex-static filming for the second season is upon us," Cooper said. "It was magical working with Happy Prince and Disney+ on the first season and seeing everyone fall head over heels for my beloved characters. I’m delighted to be able to work with them again and for everyone to see what further mischief they all get up to!”

Season 2 is written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal), Laura Wade (The Riot Club), Sophie Goodhart, Sam Hoare, Kefi Chadwick, Mimi Hare, Clare Namylor, Sorcha Kurien-Walsh, and Dare Aiyegbayo, with Elliot Hegarty (Ted Lasso), Jamie J. Johnson, and Dee Koppang O'Leary directing. Executive producers include Treadwell-Collins, Wade, Cooper, and Felicity Blunt, along with Jonny Richards for Disney+ EMEA Scripted Content. Eliza Mellor (The Midwich Cuckoos) is series producer. 

Given that production has only just started, there's no news yet about when Rivals will return to our screens, but when it does, it will once again air stream Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the U.K. and internationally. Season 1 is currently available to stream on Hulu.