Rivals: Release date, Trailer, plot, cast, & Everything we know About Jilly Cooper’s Novel Adaption

Get ready for the thrilling adaptation of Rivals, as Disney+ brings Jilly Cooper's racy novel to life in a series set to take the streaming world by storm. Recently, Disney+ released the highly anticipated trailer, giving us a glimpse into the extravagant lives of the upper-class characters embroiled in scandal, romance, and fierce competition. 

Featuring a star-studded cast that includes David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, and Danny Dyer, Rivals promises to deliver a captivating blend of drama and excess, perfectly reflecting the cutthroat atmosphere of the 1980s television industry.

With Jilly Cooper serving as an executive producer, fans can expect a fresh take on the beloved classic that balances nostalgia with contemporary sensibilities. As the excitement builds, there's so much more to uncover about the character dynamics, shocking plot twists, and the glamorous yet ruthless world they inhabit. 

This series is shaping up to be the next big buzz-worthy show, and we’re here to give you the inside scoop on everything you need to know! Stay tuned for ongoing updates as we reveal more intriguing details leading up to the premiere.

Release date & Where to Watch

Rivals is an eight-part series set to premiere on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024.

Plot

Rivals is based on Jilly Cooper’s iconic Rutshire Chronicles series, a racy 10-book saga following the cutthroat lives of England’s elite as they navigate power, ambition, and scandal. 

The story is set in 1986, plunging into the ruthless world of independent television, where two powerful men—ex-Olympian and Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black and ambitious TV station controller Lord Tony Baddingham—find themselves in a fierce rivalry. As their power struggle over Corinium Television intensifies, secrets are spilled, alliances are forged, and relationships are tested, drawing wives, lovers, colleagues, and families into the chaos.

Alex Hassell takes on the role of the rakish Rupert Campbell-Black, while David Tennant portrays his rival Tony Baddingham. The adaptation remains true to the essence of Cooper's original novel, where personal conflict, ambition, and media politics take center stage. Rivals brings a 2020s lens to the over-the-top 1980s, capturing the shocking antics of Britain's power-grabbing social elite.

The series will consist of eight episodes, immersing viewers in the scandalous world of independent TV in the glamorous yet ruthless era of big hair and shoulder pads.

Cast

• Alex Hassell (The Boys, Silent Witness) as Rupert Campbell-Black

"The moment we met Alex, we knew he’d be the perfect embodiment of my all-time hero—the iconic, daring, ruthless, and irresistibly handsome Rupert Campbell-Black," says Jilly. 

• David Tennant (Good Omens, Inside Man) as Lord Tony Baddingham
• Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara
• Danny Dyer (EastEnders, Heat) as Freddie Jones
• Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham
• Victoria Smurfit (Bloodlands season two) as Maud O'Hara
• Bella Maclean (Sex Education) as Taggie
• Luke Pasqualino (Our Girl, The Musketeers) as Basil ‘Bas’ Baddingham
• Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners) as Sarah Stratton
• Rufus Jones (W1A) as Paul Stratton
• Nafessa Williams (Whitney Houston:  I Wanna Dance with Somebody) as Cameron Cook
• Katherine Parkinson (The Kennedys, Here We Go) as Lizzie Vereker
• Oliver Chris (The Crown, Trying) as James Vereker 

Official Trailer

The trailer dives deeper into the glitz and excess of 1986’s TV industry, showcasing not only the champagne-fueled parties but also the intense relationship drama simmering beneath the surface.

Disney+ released the 80s-themed first teaser trailer for Rivals in June, set to Robert Palmer’s 1985 hit "Addicted To Love," giving a glimpse of all the main characters in action.

Is the Rivals Series Based on the Jilly Cooper book?

Yes, the upcoming series Rivals is based on Jilly Cooper's iconic 1988 novel of the same name, part of her bestselling Rutshire Chronicles. This story is filled with deception, wit, romance, and unforgettable characters.

The book follows Declan O'Hara, a glamorous television star with a radiant yet reckless wife, a handsome son, and two stunning daughters. He quickly discovers that Corinium TV’s Managing Director, Lord Baddingham, is using him to secure the channel's franchise. Also in the mix is Rupert Campbell-Black, a dissolute Tory Minister for Sport, and Cameron Cook, a formidable executive tasked with producing Declan’s show.

As rival companies fight for control of Corinium, the plot twists through scandals, power struggles, and romance, with plenty of drama unfolding in both the bedroom and the boardroom.

Filming

The series became the first to film at TBY2, a new facility at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, Bristol. Additional filming took place in March 2023 in Gloucestershire, including locations in Tetbury, as well as in Castlewood, Clevedon, and Corsham, Wiltshire.

Behind the Scenes

Rivals is part of Jilly Cooper’s iconic Rutshire Chronicles, a bestselling series of 10 novels known for their wit, romantic entanglements, sex, and unforgettable characters. The series began with Riders in 1985, followed by Rivals (1988), Polo (1991), The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1993), Appassionata (1996), and others, with the most recent, Mount!, released in 2016.

The upcoming Rivals TV adaptation is produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, for Disney+. Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal), who serves as executive producer, leads the writing team alongside Olivier Award-winner Laura Wade (The Riot Club). The writers' room also features Sophie Goodhart (The Baby), Marek Horn, Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor, Dare Aiyegbayo (The Dumping Ground), Kefi Chadwick (Avoidance), Tray Agyeman, and Sorcha Kurien Walsh.

Elliot Hegarty (Ted Lasso), the BAFTA-nominated lead director, is also an executive producer for episodes 1-3, with Eliza Mellor (Poldark) serving as series producer. Other episodes will be directed by Dee Koppang O’Leary (The Crown) and Alexandra Brodski (Somewhere Boy). The casting director for the series is Kelly Valentine Hendry (Bridgerton).