Rivals season 2 confirms Marvel favourite and British acting legend joining cast as major characters

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Rivals fans, rejoice! Season 2 has cast Rupert Everett and Hayley Atwell in key roles.

In the second season, we can expect the addition of some larger-than-life personalities, further complicating matters for Rupert Campbell Black, the main character played by Alex Hassell in the series Rivals.

In this upcoming production, Atwell will portray Helen Gordon, who is not only Rupert’s ex-wife but also the mother of his daughters. Simultaneously, Everett has been cast to play Malise Gordon, a role that depicts him as Helen’s husband and a former horse riding coach for Rupert.

Additional star-studded additions to the cast are Maxim Ays, Holly Cattell, Oliver Dench, Amanda Lawrence, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, and Jonny Weldon.

The series is loosely based on Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles and revolves around a high-stakes battle for an autonomous TV network, featuring larger-than-life personalities at each corner.

At the Edinburgh TV Festival 2025, I found myself amongst a captivated audience as Dominic Treadwell Collins, our show’s ingenious mind, shared some exciting news. He hinted at an intensification of longing for our beloved characters Taggie and Rupert, suggesting their journey won’t be without its turbulence. It seems we’re in store for a bumpy road ahead for this dynamic duo.

Collins also said that the show was faced with “snobbery” when he first pitched it.

He mentioned that for quite some time, he had been observing them, and around a few years back, he started regularly penning letters to Jilly Cooper and her representative. Later, he shared that it was through a heartfelt love letter that he managed to earn the author’s affection.

Lee Mason, the Executive Director of Scripted Originals for EMEA Disney+, made a statement saying: “Rivals is an exceptional series on Disney+, already among our most cherished British original dramas. I’m thrilled to have Hayley and Rupert join our talented cast. They are ideally suited for the world of Rutshire, brilliantly crafted by Dame Jilly and the Happy Prince team.

Last year, the series received extensive praise upon its debut, and filming for the second season commenced in May 2025. Moreover, it has been officially announced that season 2 will have a total of 12 episodes, which is four additional episodes compared to the previous season.

It’s confirmed that David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson, and Danny Dyer will all return to their respective roles.

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2025-08-20 13:34