*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Rivals season 1.*
Not long now, Rivals fans.
The hit Disney+ bonkbuster, based on the late Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles novel series, will soon be back on our screens for its second outing – and there is plenty to look forward to.
While our four-star review does promise a slightly more “serious” tone this time around, you can expect “two gratuitous penises within the first eight and a half minutes, followed swiftly by a beast with two backs in a bay window, a shower with benefits and a “locked out of hotel room in the nude” fiasco with an amusing guest star as the shocked passer-by.”
So, still oodles of fun to be had, then.
“The sex is how we understand these characters,” David Tennant (Lord Tony) told Radio Times. “We might portray it more candidly than other dramas do, and there’s a lot of it, but every one of those scenes is there for a purpose.
“Hopefully it’s done with an openness and joyfulness, that allows the audience to not be grossed out.”
Katherine Parkinson has also teased a particularly unpleasant sex scene between her character Lizzie and husband James.
“That scene is comic but also quite horrific,” she said. “It’s a grey area where it’s consensual sex, not assault, but Lizzie’s not up for it at all. I think the story of obligatory marital sex is interesting.”
Running alongside all of that is Lord Tony’s battle with Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner) in a bid for control of the TV airwaves, which built to an epic finale in season 1 that left multiple questions unanswered and brilliantly paved the way for a dramatic second season.
Read more:
- Rivals boss addresses adaptational changes with show’s gay love story: “I have a humanity agenda”
- Rivals stars Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfitt talk navigating passionate love scenes: “It’s just two Paddies going at it”
So, when can you watch the next instalment? And who else is returning? Read on for everything you need to know about Rivals season 2.
Rivals season 2 release date: When will it be released?
Rivals season 2 debuts on Disney+ in the UK on Friday 15 May.
The first three episodes will drop in one hit at 7am, with the remaining three episodes arriving on a weekly basis, also from 7am.
There will then be a second batch of episodes, which will follow later in the year on Disney+ in the UK.
Rivals season 2 cast: Who’s returning? And who’s new?
Casting details for Rivals season 2 have been confirmed, with it being announced that all of the main cast will be reprising their roles in the forthcoming instalment.
Seeing as Tony was clubbed over the head with an award by his lover and Corinium producer Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), it was a mystery if he would be returning, but it has now been confirmed that Tennant will be reprising his role.
The confirmed Rivals cast that are returning for a second season are as follows:
- Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black
- David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham
- Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara
- Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook
- Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara
- Catriona Chandler as Caitlin O’Hara
- Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker
- Oliver Chris as James Vereker
- Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
- Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones
- Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham
- Luke Pasqualino as Basil ‘Bas’ Baddingham
- Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton
- Rufus Jones as Paul Stratton
- Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson
And in extremely exciting news, two new characters are set to be introduced: Rupert Campbell-Black’s ex-wife Helen, played by Hayley Atwell, and her new husband Malise, played by Rupert Everett.
Additional guest stars include Maxim Ays, Holly Cattle, Oliver Dench, Amanda Lawrence, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, and Jonny Weldon.
Rivals season 2 plot: What will happen?
Well, the Rivals season 1 finale certainly saw some plot lines start to develop – meaning that there’s plenty to explore in season 2.
The official synopsis reads: “The battle for the Central South West television franchise reaches a fever pitch as the war between Corinium and Venturer enters a dangerous new phase.
“More ruthless than ever, Tony Baddingham is determined to dismantle his rivals piece-by-piece, weaponising scandal and manipulating those closest to him to maintain his grip on power.”
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Elsewhere, “the personal lives of our Rutshire heroes spiral into chaos”.
“Marriages fracture under the weight of ambition, illicit affairs threaten to shatter families, and long-buried secrets ignite with explosive consequences,” continues the logline.
“As rivalries push everyone to the brink, loyalties are tested and hearts are broken in the pursuit of victory. But what is the true cost of war?”
Rivals season 2 trailer: Is it available to watch?
Yes – you can enjoy all of the action below.
Rivals is available to stream on Disney+. Season 2 premieres on Friday 15 May 2026. Sign-up to Disney+ from £4.99 a month.
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