Celebrated Disney+ series Rivals has officially secured a third season ahead of its second run wrapping up later this year. The hugely successful streaming drama, adapted from the Rutshire Chronicles by Dame Jilly Cooper, debuted in 2024 and has kept audiences enthralled and shocked ever since.
Plot and Characters
The programme chronicles an intense rivalry between two television studios, led by Lord Tony Baddingham (played by David Tennant) and Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner), whose battle to produce the UK's finest TV is rivalled only by the forbidden romances and relentless treachery unfolding behind closed doors. Meanwhile, the exploits of philandering Conservative MP Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) create further chaos, with Declan's young daughter 'Taggie' (Bella Maclean) trapped in the crossfire over her complicated emotions for her father's new supporter.
Announcement Details
Disney+ announced the exciting news today (Tuesday, 16th June), months before the concluding six episodes of Rivals season two drop this November. Offering a glimpse into the programme's future beyond the present series, a synopsis teases: "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."
Executive Comments
Lee Mason, Disney+ EMEA's Vice President for scripted television, stated: "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 Chief Creative Officer, and Alexander Lamb, Creative Director, expressed being "delighted and overwhelmed" by the reaction to the second series. "Our one sadness is that Jilly didn't get to witness the love for season two," they continued. "But she's still very much with us in spirit and would be so delighted that season three has been green lit."
Casting and Future
Details regarding casting for the forthcoming series remain under wraps, though leading stars Hassell, Tennant and Turner are all expected to reprise their roles alongside other prominent cast members including Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, Nafessa Williams and Victoria Smurfit. Audiences could anticipate some thrilling new additions being revealed in the coming months, particularly as the second series has featured guest appearances from the likes of Rupert Everett and Hayley Atwell.
Rivals series 2 continues this November on Disney+.
