An ensemble cast in vintage 1980s business attire poses dramatically in a grassy field around a bed, with a grand English country estate and a flying airplane visible in the background under a warm twilight sky.

Movies & Shows

Rivals Season 2 Arrives With More Scandal, Glamour & Intrigue

by Explore Disney+ Contributor

Revised: November 11, 2026

Start Rivals from the beginning and don't miss the new Season 2 episodes now streaming

It seems like nobody in Rutshire has learned a thing, which is great news for Rivals fans. Tensions are higher than ever, and secrets keep spilling out into the open. Rivals Season 2 continued with new episodes on November 11, 2026, bringing more trouble to Rutshire. Watch the trailer, meet the cast, and find out where to stream the show and what’s confirmed for Season 3.

New to Rivals? Start with Rivals Season 1 to discover how the rivalries, romances, and scandals began, then catch up on Season 2.

Rivals Season 2 Returns, Here’s The Official Trailer

Here’s a glimpse at the drama in the official Rivals Season 2 trailer, as the battle between Corinium and Venturer intensifies.

Add Rivals to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com

Rivals Season 2 Story & Where To Watch

A promotional poster for the series "Rivals" features an ensemble cast in 1980s attire posing on a manicured lawn in front of a grand manor house, with a bed placed outdoors and the title text in large pink font on the left.
Rivals, Hulu

Where can you watch Rivals Season 1?

Start from Season 1 and discover the world of Rutshire from the beginning. Stream all episodes of the first season on Hulu or Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.*

What is Rivals Season 2 about?

Rutshire is rocked by tragedy, scandal and betrayal as the battle between Venturer and Corinium reaches breaking point. As Tony Baddingham tightens his grip, leaks and buried secrets threaten to destroy families and careers. Declan fights to save Venturer while Rupert confronts difficult truths about love and loyalty. Across hedonistic parties, Bonfire Night chaos, the Hampshire Hunt Ball and a turbulent Christmas, affairs unravel, alliances fracture and rivalries intensify. As corruption at the heart of the franchise battle is finally exposed, Taggie must follow her heart while everyone faces the consequences of ambition, power and the secrets they can no longer hide.

Where can you watch Rivals Season 2?

Stream it on Hulu or Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.*

Add Rivals to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com

Rivals Season 2 Episodes & Release Date

A dramatic production still from the series "Rivals" shows David Tennant's character, Tony Baddingham, sitting in a church pew with a stern, intense expression alongside other characters during what appears to be a formal or somber gathering.
Rivals, Hulu

When does Rivals Season 2 continue?

Season 2 continued with three episodes November 11, 2026, with Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.*

How many episodes are in Rivals Season 2?

There are 12 episodes in total, split into two 6-part batches.

New Rivals Season 2 Cast & Characters

Hayley Atwell as Helen Gordon

About The Character

Rupert Campbell-Black’s aggrieved ex-wife, and the mother of his two children, is back in the picture.

Where You’ve Seen Hayley Atwell Before

She previously played Grace in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, as well as Peggy Carter in Marvel’s Agent Carter and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Rupert Everett as Malise Gordon

About The Character

Helen’s husband and Campbell-Black’s former show-jumping coach and mentor arrives on the scene, and it doesn’t spell good news for anyone involved.

Where You’ve Seen Rupert Everett Before

His aristocratic delivery is hard to miss in Napoleon and My Policeman. He also voiced Prince Charming in Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third, and appeared in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

More New Cast Members

Season 2 guest stars include Maxim Ays, Holly Cattle, Oliver Dench, Amanda Lawrence, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, and Jonny Weldon.

The continuation of Season 2 also introduces Araminta Pemberton, Lady Monica Baddingham’s younger sister, headmaster David Hawkley, and Argentinian polo legend Alejandro Mendoza.

Returning Rivals Cast & Characters

Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black

Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) sits atop a brown horse while holding a polo mallet over his shoulder, looking directly at the camera against a scenic backdrop of mountains and a field.
Rivals, Hulu

About The Character

Retired show-jumper, Conservative Member of Parliament, and Tony Baddingham’s arch-nemesis as a founder of Venturer. After the successful launch of his consortium, his love life somehow gets even more complicated, and he starts to crack under the pressure.

Where You’ve Seen Alex Hassell Before

If Rupert looks familiar, you’ve probably spotted Hassell in The Tragedy of Macbeth or as Translucent in The Boys.

David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham

Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) wearing a red velvet blazer raises a champagne coupe glass high in a celebratory toast during an office Christmas party decorated with orange garland.
Rivals, Hulu

About The Character

A sharp-suited TV executive at the center of the franchise war with Rupert, he protects his power with blackmail and a fiery temper, dragging his enemies’ secrets into the light of day and pressuring his staff into submission.

Where You’ve Seen David Tennant Before

Best known for his role as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, Tennant has also starred in The Thursday Murder Club and voiced Scrooge McDuck in DuckTales.

Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara

can you generate a sentence of alt text for this image An ensemble cast in vintage 1980s business attire poses dramatically in a grassy field around a bed, with a grand English country estate and a flying airplane visible in the background under a warm twilight sky. If you'd like, I can write a longer, more detailed description or help you draft alt text tailored for a specific platform or audience. Let me know how you want to proceed! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more A promotional poster for the series "Rivals" features an ensemble cast in 1980s attire posing on a manicured lawn in front of a grand manor house, with a bed placed outdoors and the title text in large pink font on the left. If you want, I can provide a more detailed breakdown of the characters and elements in this new image, or help you compare it to the first poster. Let me know what you'd like to do next! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more A dramatic production still from the series "Rivals" shows David Tennant's character, Tony Baddingham, sitting in a church pew with a stern, intense expression alongside other characters during what appears to be a formal or somber gathering. Would you like me to identify the other actors visible in this scene, give you a summary of the episode this shot is taken from, or write detailed alt text for this image? AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Three men dressed in formal black overcoats, suits, and dark ties look anxiously off-camera while standing near a large wooden doorway inside a church or cathedral. If you want, I can help you by: • Identifying the actors standing on either side of David Tennant • Providing context for this specific funeral scene from the series Rivals • Generating longer or more descriptive alt text for accessibility purposes Let me know what you would like to do! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more A woman wearing a silky blue robe sits on a patterned couch with a calm, attentive expression while listening to someone out of focus in the foreground. If you'd like, I can: • Identify the actress or character shown in this scene from Rivals • Describe the clothing and interior design details in more depth • Help you write accessibility-focused alt text for this image Let me know how you'd like to proceed! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more can you include actor and character names in the format Character Name (Actor Name) from now one A woman, Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), sits on a floral patterned sofa wearing a silky blue robe and listens intently to someone who is out of focus in the foreground. If you want, I can help you with: • Gathering more information about Cameron Cook's role in the series • Identifying who she is talking to in this specific scene • Summarizing key moments or storylines involving her character Let me know what you would like to explore next! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner) walks through a crowded, dimly lit formal gathering with an intense, unsmiling expression, his black bowtie hanging undone around his open-collared white shirt.
Rivals, Hulu

About The Character

Wooed away from the BBC, he arrives at Corinium expecting a golden opportunity, only to resign once he sees the reality of working with Tony Baddingham. He’s a gifted journalist with a short fuse, and the last person you’d want figuring out he’s been played.

Where You’ve Seen Aidan Turner Before

Anyone who remembers Ross in Poldark or Kíli in The Hobbit trilogy will recognize him right away, probably by the eyebrows.

Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara

A close-up shot captures Taggie O'Hara (Bella Maclean) and Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) looking intimately into each other's eyes at night, with Taggie smiling softly while Rupert wears a focused, intense expression.
Rivals, Hulu

About The Character

Tender-hearted but no pushover, Declan’s middle child is usually the one holding the family together while keeping an eye on her younger sister. She comes across as gentle, though she can be stubborn when it counts.

Where You’ve Seen Bella Maclean Before

She played Jem in Sex Education and Bella Wilfer in the National Theatre’s London Tide.

Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook

A woman, Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), sits on a floral patterned sofa wearing a silky blue robe and listens intently to someone who is out of focus in the foreground.
Rivals, Hulu

About The Character

The American TV executive Tony brings into Corinium to produce Declan’s talk show arrives determined to reach the top of the hierarchy and will do anything to get there. Anyone who mistakes her for an easy mark is in for a miserable surprise.

Where You’ve Seen Nafessa Williams Before

Her previous work includes Thunder in Black Lightning and a role in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton

A pregnant Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack) sits in profile on a purple bench against a grid-patterned backdrop, looking away with a pensive, serious expression while wearing a green, polka-dot patterned dress.
Rivals, Hulu

About The Character

As the deputy prime minister’s new wife, she knows how to turn attention into leverage and never wastes an opportunity. She’s a talented social climber and knows exactly how to use the people around her to get what she wants.

Where You’ve Seen Emily Atack Before

Best known for playing Charlotte in The Inbetweeners UK, Atack has also showcased a more personal side of her comedy in The Emily Atack Show.

Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones

can you generate a sentence of alt text for this image An ensemble cast in vintage 1980s business attire poses dramatically in a grassy field around a bed, with a grand English country estate and a flying airplane visible in the background under a warm twilight sky. If you'd like, I can write a longer, more detailed description or help you draft alt text tailored for a specific platform or audience. Let me know how you want to proceed! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more A promotional poster for the series "Rivals" features an ensemble cast in 1980s attire posing on a manicured lawn in front of a grand manor house, with a bed placed outdoors and the title text in large pink font on the left. If you want, I can provide a more detailed breakdown of the characters and elements in this new image, or help you compare it to the first poster. Let me know what you'd like to do next! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more A dramatic production still from the series "Rivals" shows David Tennant's character, Tony Baddingham, sitting in a church pew with a stern, intense expression alongside other characters during what appears to be a formal or somber gathering. Would you like me to identify the other actors visible in this scene, give you a summary of the episode this shot is taken from, or write detailed alt text for this image? AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Three men dressed in formal black overcoats, suits, and dark ties look anxiously off-camera while standing near a large wooden doorway inside a church or cathedral. If you want, I can help you by: • Identifying the actors standing on either side of David Tennant • Providing context for this specific funeral scene from the series Rivals • Generating longer or more descriptive alt text for accessibility purposes Let me know what you would like to do! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more A woman wearing a silky blue robe sits on a patterned couch with a calm, attentive expression while listening to someone out of focus in the foreground. If you'd like, I can: • Identify the actress or character shown in this scene from Rivals • Describe the clothing and interior design details in more depth • Help you write accessibility-focused alt text for this image Let me know how you'd like to proceed! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more can you include actor and character names in the format Character Name (Actor Name) from now one A woman, Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), sits on a floral patterned sofa wearing a silky blue robe and listens intently to someone who is out of focus in the foreground. If you want, I can help you with: • Gathering more information about Cameron Cook's role in the series • Identifying who she is talking to in this specific scene • Summarizing key moments or storylines involving her character Let me know what you would like to explore next! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner) walks through a crowded, dimly lit formal gathering with an intense, unsmiling expression, his black bowtie hanging undone around his open-collared white shirt. If you'd like, I can: • Give you a plot breakdown of why Declan looks so disheveled and serious in this scene • Outline his character's major rivalries and conflicts in the show • Provide more descriptions from this event Let me know what you want to explore! AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more Freddie Jones (Danny Dyer) and Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson) stand close together under the warm glow of a large crystal chandelier, looking at one another during a tense conversation.
Rivals, Hulu

About The Character

A self-made electronics millionaire who doesn’t quite fit into Rutshire’s old-money crowd, he brings refreshingly blunt honesty to a world obsessed with status and fake niceties.

Where You’ve Seen Danny Dyer Before

His unmistakable Cockney accent has barged into living rooms via EastEnders, The Football Factory, and Mr. Bigstuff.

Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker

About The Character

A romantic novelist who’s been overlooked by her TV-presenter husband for far too long, she’s had enough of being sidelined in her own life. She’s polite about it, but she notices more than people assume.

Where You’ve Seen Katherine Parkinson Before

She has a gift for sounding politely appalled, as seen in Humans and Here We Go.

Luke Pasqualino as Bas Baddingham

About The Character

Tony’s charismatic younger brother runs Cotchester’s hotspot, Bar Sinister. He may have family ties to Corinium, but his loyalty lies elsewhere.

Where You’ve Seen Luke Pasqualino Before

Since getting his start in acting as Freddie in Skins UK, Pasqualino has portrayed d'Artagnan in The Musketeers and Maurizio in Shantaram.

More Returning Cast Members

Gabriel Tierney, Claire Rushbrook, Lisa McGrillis, Rufus Jones, Oliver Chris, Gary Lamont, Catriona Chandler, and Victoria Smurfit are all back for more action in Season 2.

Everything You Need To Know About Rivals

Three men dressed in formal black overcoats, suits, and dark ties look anxiously off-camera while standing near a large wooden doorway inside a church or cathedral.
Rivals, Hulu

What is Rivals about?

Set in the 1980s Cotswolds, where the local TV industry is serious business, this period drama follows a battle over a regional TV franchise that turns ugly, dragging private feuds into public view. It’s distinctly British, with ambition, illicit affairs, and forbidden love adding even more complexity to the vicious power struggle.

Is Rivals based on a book?

Yes, the show adapts Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name, part of the Rutshire Chronicles.

Is Rivals based on a true story?

No. It begins with Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel and draws inspiration from the excess of the 1980s TV world. While Rivals taps into the social climbing and boardroom spats of its setting, the on-screen events are thankfully fictional.

Where was Rivals filmed?

Production mostly took place in the leafy countryside of southwest England. The Cotswolds provided the grand houses and village streets, while Bristol, a city in the same region, was used for the urban and studio scenes. The small market town of Tetbury also appeared as the fictional Cotchester.

Who is behind Rivals?

Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, produces the show. Executive producers include Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Alexander Lamb, Felicity Blunt, Laura Wade, Dame Jilly Cooper, and Jonny Richards. Episodes are directed by Elliot Hegarty, Dee Koppang O’Leary, Alexandra Brodski, and Jamie Jay Johnson.

What happened in Rivals Season 1?

Spoiler alert: Read no further if you haven’t seen Season 1 yet. 

Tony Baddingham and Rupert Campbell-Black spent the first season clawing at each other over the Central South West TV franchise, and the feud sucked in everyone in their orbit. Declan O’Hara arrived as Tony’s star signing, then wound up joining Rupert and Freddie Jones as they launched Venturer against Corinium. In the finale, Venturer won the chance to submit a bid, Maud left for London, Taggie and Rupert finally kissed, and Cameron left Tony bleeding in his office.

Will there be a Rivals Season 3?

Yes! Disney+ announced on June 16, 2026, that Rivals will return for a third season with 12 episodes.

Add Rivals to Watchlist (login required) or learn more on Hulu.com

Fans of Rivals’ affairs, rivalries, and ensemble drama may also fall in love with Desperate Housewives and other scandal-heavy favorites.

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