Danny Dyer has revealed he has a 'full frontal' nude scene in the upcoming second series of Rivals, which has been dubbed the raunchiest season yet. Speaking to the Radio Times, he joked about his manhood during the cold shoot but insisted that if his female co-stars were to bare all, so should the male cast.
Danny, who plays Freddie Jones in the Disney+ bonkbuster, said: 'I go full frontal in this series, if they keep it in the edit. It's a night shoot, and it was cold, and I'd better not say any more.'
'Nobody's under pressure to be naked if they don't want to, but if a woman's getting her breasts out, why shouldn't I get it all out? I've got breasts as well, to be fair.'
Jilly Cooper's Final Approval
Meanwhile, lead writer and executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins revealed that the new episodes had author Dame Jilly Cooper's full approval before her tragic death. He told the publication: 'She signed off every single script and she was watching rushes up until the week before she died. So we've got her sign-off and her voice is all the way through it all.'
Dame Jilly, who penned the novels on which the show is based, died in October 2025 aged 88 following a fall at her Gloucestershire home.
Alex Hassell's Fond Memories
It comes after fellow Rivals star Alex Hassell, who plays the lead role of Rupert Campbell-Black, reflected on his fondest memories of the late author. He also opened up about Jilly's 'very risqué' sense of humour and revealed her final heartfelt words to him, which still make him emotional.
In October, while production was underway on series two, Jilly passed away at the age of 88, following a fall at her home in Bisley, Gloucestershire, leaving the cast devastated.
In a new interview with Style magazine, Alex reminisced over his relationship with the famous writer, revealing the very rude joke she once came out with that left him in stitches. He recalled a photoshoot he had done with co-stars Danny Dyer (Freddie Jones), Luke Pasqualino (Bas Baddingham), and Brendan Patricks (Henry Hampshire) last year, with all four of them kitted out in their polo gear.
'Jilly was there and, obviously, she loved all the men and would say very openly how much she thought we were all really sexy in our polo outfits,' he explained. 'So we were like, "Come in this photo," and Danny made a very rude joke about the idea that Jilly would potentially, you know, like all of us. And Jilly said it would be "a gran bang." She just came out with it like that and we all howled with laughter.'
After initially being unsure about how daring they could be around her, Alex said the cast soon realised the answer was 'very, very risqué.'
The Wasteman star said the news of Jilly's tragic passing hit him hard and admitted he still becomes tearful when he thinks of their final conversation. 'I was really knocked by it,' he recalled. 'I was at home, some people were on set, and the decision was made to carry on because it meant so much to her that it was being made. The last thing she said to me was that she was so glad I'm her Rupert and so proud of me. Then she got into her car and drove away, and it makes me want to well up talking about it.'
Critical Acclaim for Series Two
Rivals series two drops on Friday but has already racked up a slew of five-star reviews from critics, who have said it more than lives up to its opening run. Sarah Dempster for The Guardian gives the show five stars but muses 'how best to reward such exquisitely knowing escapism? Ten stars? Ten thousand stars? Rivals is beyond earthly praise.'
The Telegraph's Benji Wilson agrees with another five-star write-up, as he declares that 'Rivals continues to refresh the parts that other television cannot reach – a heady mix of guilty pleasure, trenchant satire, rambunctious comedy and out-and-out trash.'
While Carol Midgley for The Times says 'despite its deliberate corniness, this is also gloriously uplifting television. It is unashamedly celebratory and perhaps even better than the last series.'
And Den Of Geek's Lacy Baugher praises the show's 'sprawling cast' who 'remain thoroughly excellent throughout.'
Read Danny's full interview in Radio Times out now.
