Rivals Season 2 Expands to 12 Episodes as Cast Films Bonfire Spectacle Ahead of May 15 Launch
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Rivals Season 2 Expands to 12 Episodes as Cast Films Bonfire Spectacle Ahead of May 15 Launch
6 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 13
Disney+'s Rivals staged a pyrotechnic-heavy bonfire sequence at Chavenage House in Gloucestershire as season two heads for release on May 15.
12 episodes are planned for the new run, up from eight, with cast members describing it as bigger, bolder and "bonkier" after the first season's breakout success.
David Tennant said Lord Baddingham does "really despicable" things in season two, while Danny Dyer joked he has worn Freddie Jones's moustache for 7 months with 3 still to go.
The show's momentum grew further after season one won the International Emmy for best drama, and cast members said younger viewers have driven TikTok interest in Rupert and Taggie.
Jilly Cooper, whose Rivals novel is one of 11 Rutshire Chronicles books, died last year but had read and signed off every season-two episode, leaving scope for the adaptation to continue.
As the show fuels a tourism boom, are the Cotswolds prepared for the 'Rivals' effect?
Can "Rivals" maintain its magic in future seasons without its late author's direct guidance?
How will season two's 'bolder' plot navigate the dated attitudes of its 1980s source material?