Rivals Season Three is set to begin filming in March, with storylines that had Jilly Cooper's approval before her death in 2025. The hit Disney+ series, based on Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles novels, will continue with changes from the books as production moves forward.
Production Details and Cast Return
Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins confirmed plans are well underway for the third season during a tribute night to Jilly Cooper at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. He praised the cast and crew for their close working relationship and the atmosphere on set.
“I've never worked on a show where everyone has come back for season two. All the heads of department came back. Almost everyone is coming up with season three. That just doesn't happen. But we are ambitious, and we look at every scene rigorously and say, how could it be better?” Treadwell-Collins said.
Jilly Cooper's Legacy and Approval
Treadwell-Collins revealed that Cooper had provided notes for the first two seasons and discussed plans for the third before her death. “We had Jilly's notes for season one and all the way through season two. We talked to her about our plans for season three and beyond. So she's checking on us, and we've got her seal of approval on big, things, big story points. We start filming in March and it is odd writing without Jilly,” he added.
Cooper's daughter Emily Tarrant spoke at the same event, saying her mother had loved the series and the way it gave her books a new lease of life. “She was joyous about it, so thrilled to see all her characters come to life,” Tarrant said.
Changes from the Books
Disney+ has announced that Season Three will see higher stakes for characters, with new romances, rekindled flames, and shocking secrets. The platform stated: “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.”
Jilly's agent Felicity Blunt, who also serves as executive producer, said Cooper understood the TV adaptation couldn't be a faithful reproduction of the books. “She really understood what it takes to take a book and translate it to screen, and then it can't be this sort of slavish reproduction of what works in the text, like it has,” Blunt said.
Season Two, Part Two of Rivals will premiere on Disney+ on November 11, with episodes 7-12. The series, which launched in October 2024, features David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Emily Atack, and Katherine Parkinson.
