Rivals: cast, plot and everything we know about the Jilly Cooper adaptation
Rivals by Jilly Cooper was a must read 'bonkbusting' novel of the 1980s, as it followed some eccentric 'country set' characters in the fictional UK county of Rutshire. And now Rivals is being adapted into a television series by Disney Plus. There are star-studded casts — and then there’s the star-studded cast of Rivals, which boasts a who’s who of British and Irish acting talent including the likes of David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Danny Dyer, Aidan Turner, Claire Rushbrook, Katherine Parkinson and Emily Atack!
The eight-part saga is based heavily on Jilly Cooper's bestselling book Rivals follows the tense rivalry between two ambitious and charismatic men, Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham, and is packed with sex, romantic entanglements and shocking antics.
"I’m utterly enchanted to be able to announce our all-star line-up for Rivals," says author Jilly Cooper, who also acts as executive producer on the Disney Plus series "Featuring some of the best acting talent that the British Isles has to offer, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better ensemble cast. I cannot wait to be on set and see them bring the characters I love so much to life!"
So here’s everything we know about Rivals on Disney Plus…
Rivals release date
Rivals is an eight-part series that launches on Disney Plus some time in 2024. We'll update as soon as we hear.
Rivals on Disney Plus plot
Rivals is part of Jilly Cooper’s racy 10-book 'Rutshire Chronicles’ series which follows members of England’s power-grabbing social elite as they fall in and out of bed with each other and fight tooth and nail to get ahead.
Set in the ruthless, excessive world of independent television in 1986, it chronicles the rivalry of two powerful men — the rakish ex-Olympic rider and Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black and his ambitious TV station controller Lord Tony Baddingham. But a long-simmering power struggle between them threatens to boil over when the two men lock horns over the future of Corinium Television.
Rivals cast — Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black
In Rivals. Alex Hassell plays the rakish and dangerously charismatic ex-Olympian and Tory MP. He’s had roles in The Boys, Silent Witness, The Miniaturist and was Metatron in His Dark Materials.
"The minute we met with Alex we knew he’d perfectly embody my all-time hero, the iconic, racy, ruthless, and devastatingly handsome, Rupert Campbell-Black," says Jilly. "Viewers are in for a treat!"
David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham
David Tennant is Rupert’s single-mindedly egotistical Rutshire neighbour Lord Tony Baddingham, controller of Corinium Television.
David Tennant is best known for being the tenth incarnation of The Doctor in Doctor Who but also for dramas such as Good Omens, Inside Man, Des, Broadchurch and Around the World in 80 Days.
Aidan Turner on playing Declan O’Hara
Aidan Turner plays TV presenter Declan O’Hara, who’s wooed to Corinium TV from the BBC by Baddingham himself, but feels he’s been swindled and vows to get his revenge.
During a recent interview with us Aidan revealed more about his Rivals role: "I look like I’m from circa 1975 but it’s for Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, which I’m filming until October. I hadn’t read Rivals before. It seems very British so it wasn’t really on my radar, but it’s really fun. But after we wrap the tache is definitely going to go and I’m going to take a break – I’d love a big holiday!"
In addition Aidan also told The Times in a recent interview: “We have so much sex on our show, we have to have two intimacy coaches. Two!
“Every day we’re in a different huge manor house somewhere, having garden parties. And it is that thing as well, which happens sometimes in shows — and I see it happening [here], though none of us have kind of admitted to it, but it’s definitely there — where there’s a slight methody thing happening. We’re all up for the party. We went out the other night to the Ivy. We had a late night, lots of cocktails. Never wanted a season two of anything more in my life.”
Irish actor Aidan made his name playing Ross Poldark on BBC1 period drama Poldark, but has since had roles in Leonardo and The Suspect and will play an elite tennis coach in Prime Video's Fifteen-Love.
Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
Danny Dyer stars as Freddie Jones: honourable, loyal and lovable, he’s a self-made electronics millionaire. Freddie’s got the money, but finds himself, along with his social-climbing wife Valerie (played by Lisa McGrillis (Maternal, Mum), an outsider to Rutshire’s cliques.
Danny Dyer is of course best known for playing Mick Carter in EastEnders. He's about to star in Channel 5 drama Heat, and host Scared Of The Dark on Channel 4, and has hosted quiz shows Cheat and The Wall. His movies include The Football Factory, Goodbye Charlie Bright, Severance and The Business.
Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham
In Rivals, Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood) plays Lady Monica Baddingham, Tony’s dependable, upper-crust wife who has absolutely no interest in the dramatic goings-on within her husband’s empire.
Who else is starring in Rivals?
There's plenty of other top cast in Rivals including Victoria Smurfit (Bloodlands season 2) plays Maud O’Hara, a former actress and Declan’s bohemian, fickle wife, while Bella Maclean (Sex Education) plays their strong-willed elder daughter, Taggie.
Luke Pasqualino (Our Girl, Skins, The Musketeers) plays the charming Basil ‘Bas’ Baddingham, Tony’s younger brother and the proprietor of Cotchester’s hot spot, Bar Sinister. Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners) plays Sarah Stratton, the new wife to Deputy Prime Minister, Paul Stratton, played by Rufus Jones (W1A). Sarah is ambitious and not afraid to use her looks to get to the top. Paul, on the other hand, is in the throes of a midlife crisis...
Meanwhile, Nafessa Williams (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody) plays Cameron Cook, a ferociously talented American TV executive, who’s brought to Corinium by Tony to produce Declan’s new prime-time talk show.
Katherine Parkinson (The Kennedys, Humans, Here We Go) stars as Lizzie Vereker, a romantic novelist consistently overlooked by her preening and self-centred TV presenter husband, James Vereker, played by Oliver Chris (The Crown, Trying).
All about Rivals author Jilly Cooper
Rivals is part of Jilly Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles, the iconic literary series of 10 novels packed full of wit, romantic entanglements, sex and unforgettable characters.
The first book in the series Riders was released in 1985, followed by Rivals (1988), Polo (1991), The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1993), Appassionata (1996), Score! (1999), Pandora (2002), Wicked! (2006), Jump! (2010) and Mount! (2016).
Jilly Cooper is a journalist, author who lives in Gloucestershire, UK. Born in 1937, Jilly is now 86 and is a widow, having been married to publisher Leo Cooper from 1961 until his death in 2013. They have two adopted children and five grandchildren.
Is there a trailer for Rivals?
There's no Rivals trailer yet but we’ll be sure to post a trailer for Rivals as soon as it lands.
Behind the scenes and locations on Rivals
Rivals is filming around the UK in 2023. The series is executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal, Holding, EastEnders) and Alexander Lamb (The Bay, We Hunt Together, Ackley Bridge), Felicity Blunt, Laura Wade, Rivals author Jilly Cooper and Director of Scripted Content for Disney+ EMEA Lee Mason. Rivals is produced by Happy Prince, which is part of ITV Studios and the series is written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins with Olivier Award-winner Laura Wade (The Riot Club).
The lead director of Rivals is BAFTA-nominated Elliot Hegarty (Ted Lasso, Cheaters, Trying), who also serves as executive producer on episodes 1-3. Eliza Mellor (The Midwich Cuckoos, Behind Her Eyes, Poldark) serves as Series Producer.
In addition to Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Wade, the series writers room also includes: Sophie Goodhart, Marek Horn, Mimi Hare and Clare Naylor, Dare Aiyegbayo, Kefi Chadwick, Tray Agyeman and Sorcha Kurien Walsh. The Casting Director is Kelly Valentine Hendry (Bridgerton).
