Rivals future revealed ahead of season 2 premiere as Jilly Cooper series returns to screens

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Disney Plus has reportedly renewed the hit series ‘Rivals’ for a third season, giving it an early renewal before the current season concludes.

This funny and dramatic show takes you back to the 1980s television world, where driven people compete fiercely for ratings and success, all while their personal relationships get complicated.

This series is inspired by the books of Jilly Cooper and features a fantastic cast, including David Tennant (known from The Thursday Murder Club), Aidan Turner (from Poldark), Katherine Parkinson (Here We Go), and Danny Dyer (Mr Bigstuff).

According to a source at The Sun, Disney Plus is already planning a third season of ‘Rivals,’ even though season 2 hasn’t premiered yet – and it’s coming in just over a month!

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The show’s third season is expected to be based on the third book in the Rutshire Chronicles, called Polo. This installment will introduce Ricky France-Lynch, a captivating former polo player described as brooding, strong, and impressive.

According to a source at The Sun, the name of the next season is still undecided. It might keep the title ‘Rivals,’ be changed to ‘Polo,’ or receive a completely different name.

Disney is very confident the second season will be just as popular as the first, so they’ve already started planning the third season.

Disney had no comment on the report.

Parkinson, who appears alongside the main cast in Rivals, recently finished filming season two. However, The Sun reports she might begin work on the next season before the year is over.

She’s currently finishing up the dialogue and recording sessions, and is thrilled with how everything is coming together. She’s eager for everyone to finally see the finished product, she told TopMob.

You can now watch Rivals on Disney Plus! The second season will begin streaming on Friday, May 15, 2026. A Disney Plus subscription starts at just £5.99 per month.

Don’t miss out! Add ‘Rivals’ to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download it today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig writes about television and streaming drama and comedy for TopMob. Before joining TopMob, he worked at Starburst Magazine, hosted the podcast ‘The Winter King’ for ITVX, and earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Sheffield.

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2026-04-08 15:37