Rivals star Alex Hassell has candidly described the show's sex scenes as 'physically unsexy' and 'deeply uncomfortable', despite the new season being hailed as the raciest yet. Based on Dame Jilly Cooper's 1988 novel, the comedy-drama premiered on Disney+ in October 2024 and quickly became a massive hit. The eight-episode first series concluded in December 2024, with a second season soon confirmed.
Alex, who portrays Rupert Campbell-Black in the raunchy series, will return to screens for season two on May 15. In the opening episode, a mansion pool party leads to a montage of Campbell-Black and Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams) in various intimate positions. Speaking about filming with intimacy coordinators, Alex told The Times: 'You're covered up where you need to be and there's padding between you. But it's a deeply unsexy environment and quite physically uncomfortable because I'm all oiled up and trying to hold Nafessa in place.'
Cast Insights on Season 2
Other cast members have also teased what awaits viewers. Danny Dyer plays electronics businessman Freddie Jones, who is having an affair with romance author Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson). Dyer explained: 'We're delving into the complications of two people who are madly in love but married with children to other people. There are a lot of people rooting for infidelity, which is quite rare.'
Aidan Turner stars as TV journalist Declan O'Hara, who struggles to balance work demands with his former actress wife Maud (Victoria Smurfit). He described a steamy shower scene between the couple as 'fun' to film, telling the Daily Mirror: 'Victoria and I are very comfortable with each other. We've worked together quite intimately since the first series and we just clicked straight away – it might be the Irish thing.'
Emily Atack on Playing a 'Flawed' Character
Emily Atack, best known for her role as Charlotte Hinchcliffe in The Inbetweeners, plays saucy seductress Sarah Stratton. She opened up about a complex dinner party scene that pushed her acting skills. 'You've got to know the lines inside out, know every bit of the rhythm of it,' she said, noting that the show 'did it all in one go', which was a new experience. She described a moment where her character 'breaks down' as genuine, adding, 'I've done it.'
Reflecting on playing 'flawed' women, Emily described Sarah as 'promiscuous and naughty' and 'an absolute f***ing nightmare'. She told The Times: 'People in the past never wanted to admit that they identify with characters like Sarah as she's promiscuous and naughty. Now, characters like her, people are going, 'Why am I rooting for them?' I'm all for that. I want to play a flawed woman in a right bl**dy pickle.'
Rivals returns on May 15 on Disney+.
