Disney+ has confirmed that the hit drama series Rivals will return for a third season, months before the second instalment concludes this November. The announcement came today, Tuesday, 16th June, much to the delight of fans eagerly awaiting the season two finale.
Third Season Greenlit Early
The blockbuster streaming drama, adapted from the Rutshire Chronicles by Dame Jilly Cooper, launched in 2024 and has kept audiences captivated and shocked throughout. It charts an intense rivalry between two television studios, led by Lord Tony Baddingham (portrayed by David Tennant) and Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner), whose battle to produce Britain's finest TV is matched only by forbidden romances and relentless treachery backstage. Meanwhile, the behaviour of philandering Conservative MP Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) generates further chaos, with Declan's younger daughter Taggie (Bella Maclean) trapped amid complicated emotions towards her father's new supporter.
Disney+ announced the exciting news months before the concluding six episodes of Rivals season two land this November.
What to Expect in Season Three
Teasing the programme's trajectory beyond the present series, a synopsis hints: "As the dust settles post the scandalous revelations in season two, we see the stakes become higher and the alliances more fragile, with nothing staying buried for long. New romances blossom, old flames rekindle and shocking secrets will be spilled in this third series which takes everyone's favourite rivalries to the next level. In a world of power, passion and betrayal, everyone has something to lose."
Lee Mason, Disney+ EMEA's Vice President for scripted television, commented: "The phenomenal response to Rivals is a credit to the bold, irreverent and endlessly entertaining world created by Dame Jilly Cooper, our cast, creative team and production partners at Happy Prince. We're delighted to be bringing audiences a third season on Disney+/Hulu. Expect more ambition, more romance, more rivalries and, of course, more scandal as we return to Rutshire for another irresistible chapter."
Meanwhile, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Happy Prince's CCO, alongside Creative Director Alexander Lamb, expressed being "delighted and overwhelmed" by the reception to series two. "Our one sadness is that Jilly didn't get to witness the love for season two," they went on. "But she's still very much with us in spirit and would be so delighted that season three has been green lit."
Casting and Release Details
Details regarding casting for the forthcoming series remain closely guarded, though leading stars Hassell, Tennant and Turner are all expected to reprise their roles alongside other central figures including Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, Nafessa Williams and Victoria Smurfit. Audiences can anticipate further thrilling new additions being revealed throughout the coming months, particularly as series two has featured the likes of Rupert Everett and Hayley Atwell in guest roles.
Rivals series 2 continues this November on Disney+.
