Rivals series 2 on Disney+: Release date confirmed for Jilly Cooper's 'thrilling ride', with more 'twists' and 'mischief'
Jilly Cooper's memory will live on in the adaptation
Rivals is coming back with aplomb, with series 2 landing soon. Disney+ has just realised the trailer all the way from the fictional village of Rutshire – and, surprisingly, all the cast have their clothes on (just about)!
In May 2025, Disney+ confirmed that filming had begun on the second season of the award-winning series, which first aired in 2024.
Based on the best-selling novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, the TV adaptation was undoubtedly one of the stand-out hits of the year. And series 2 promises to be bigger and better than ever.
Here’s everything we know about Rivals series 2 so far as Disney+ releases the trailer and confirms the start date.
Is there a series 2 of Rivals on Disney+?
Disney+ confirmed they’d commissioned a second run of Rivals back in December 2024. And now the streaming service has revealed the cast and crew have started filming.
We’re told: “As power struggles escalate and rivalries deepen, ambition drives every move, pushing loyalties to the edge.”
The plot? Well, you don’t really need to worry about that. Needless to say there IS one, but don’t get caught up in the nitty-gritty. Rivals is about sex, chemistry, love, and – as the title suggests – rivalry.
A synopsis tells us: “Careers, marriages, and reputations hang in the balance as personal and professional lives collide in a world where secrets can’t stay hidden for long.
“Bold, emotionally charged, and filled with unforgettable moments, Rivals is a thrilling ride through a landscape of breathtaking beauty, fierce competition, and life-changing decisions – where the cost of success could be everything.” What they said!
The trailer shows Lord Tony Baddingham very much alive – albeit with a banging headache – after THAT shocking end to series 1, while Taggie and Rupert seem to be as in love as ever…
Release date schedule of episodes for series 2
Rivals series 2 is set to be 12 episodes, that’s longer than the first series which was only eight.
A spokesperson for Disney+ told us: “The drama returns with an extended season of 12 episodes – and even more wit, desire, and dramatic twists.”
The first season of the hit Jilly Cooper adaptation series debuted in October 2024, with all episodes available to stream at once. This time around, the show is shaking things up with season 2 arriving in two separate six-episode batches.
The first set of episodes is set to land on Friday, May 15, 2026 with a three-episode premiere. The second batch will follow later in the year on Disney+.
Who’s in the cast?
All the main players of Rivals will return in the cast, and that includes David Tennant as Tony Baddingham – whose life hung in the balance in the dramatic series 1 finale.
Alex Hassell will also return as Rupert Campbell-Black, opposite Aidan Turner’s Declan O’Hara, Danny Dyer’s Freddie Jones, and Bella Maclean’s Taggie O’Hara.
The cast of Rivals series 2 sees the following actors all reprise their roles: Nafessa Williams, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Claire Rushbrook, Oliver Chris, Lisa McGrillis, Emily Atack, Rufus Jones, Luca Pasqualino, Catriona Chandler and Annabel Scholey.
Disney+ told us: “Set against the backdrop of the stunning Cotswolds countryside and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television, the second instalment will see the return of the all-star cast that won the hearts of fans and critics alike as well as introducing brand new faces.”
Talking of brand new faces, Disney has revealed that Mission Impossible actress Hayley Atwell, and Napoleon’s Rupert Everett will be joining the stellar cast.
Further talent joining the ensemble have been announced as: Maxim Ays, Holly Cattle, Oliver Dench, Amanda Lawrence, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, and Jonny Weldon.
‘Sex-static filming for the second season’
Executive Producer and Rivals author, Dame Jilly Cooper said: “I’m utterly sex-static filming for the second season is upon us. It was magical working with Happy Prince and Disney+ on the first season and seeing everyone fall head over heels for my beloved characters.”
The novelist added: “I’m delighted to be able to work with them again and for everyone to see what further mischief they all get up to!”
Sadly Jilly Cooper tragically died before Rivals series 2 hit the small screen. She died at the age of 88 in October 2025.
Dame Jilly’s children said in a statement: “Mum was the shining light in all of our lives. Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds.
“Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock.”
When’s the start date of Rivals series 2? How can I watch?
Rivals will return to Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK and internationally.
Although Disney+ has now announced a start date for Rivals series 2, we’re predicting that the second batch of six episodes might be some time coming (snigger).
Rivals series 1 landed in September 2024, and quickly became a huge hit.
Did Jilly Cooper write a sequel to the novel Rivals?
Jilly Cooper fans will know that Rivals is the second in the Rutshire Chronicles series. The first book, called Riders, was first published in 1985. The book introduced the character of Rupert Campbell-Black. Rivals followed in 1988.
Rivals is the second novel in Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles. Explaining why Rivals is the favourite of her books, she said: “I think Rivals is my favourite novel because I love the characters so much. Even the most ruthless display moments of tenderness and vulnerability and the shyest and gentlest show courage and integrity as true love blossoms.”
There are actually 11 books in Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles, with the last being Tackle! published in as recently as 2023. Olympian and hero Rupert Campbell-Black appears in all of the Rutshire Chronicles novels by Jilly Cooper.
