Will there be a Rivals season 2? Latest news and speculation

It was the ideal conclusion to a beautifully tantalizing series filled with intrigue, romance, and betrayal, which intensified even further in the final episode.

This series, inspired by Jilly Cooper's novel of the same title, has received enthusiastic reviews from both critics and fans of the original book. Featuring a renowned cast of beloved actors and some intriguing adaptations from the source material, it's clear that the show will leave audiences eager for additional episodes.

Will there be additional episodes of Rivals? The cast is optimistic about it, with Danny Dyer, one of the show's stars, even addressing speculation about a return to EastEnders. He mentioned that he's considering the chance of working on a second season of Rivals instead. In a conversation with RadioTimes.com, Dyer suggested, "I could be occupied with the second season of Rivals, so it could be Walford or Rivals—perhaps I can manage to do both."

In the same vein, Victoria Smurfit expressed to RadioTimes.com that she would definitely like to see additional seasons of Rivals, stating: “I’d love to have a season 3 and 4. There are so many wonderful characters to explore.”

Keep reading for all the details we have so far regarding a possible second season of Rivals on Disney Plus.

Currently, Disney Plus has not revealed any plans for a second season of Rivals.

Given the nature of streaming, it's reasonable to anticipate an announcement about renewal or cancellation after the series is released and viewership numbers are analyzed.

Given that the series has really gone all out with its production, cast, and crew, we would expect that Rivals will have a lasting impact. Plus, it's worth noting that Rivals is just one of the books in Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles series.

Rivals is the second book in the series, which consists of a total of 11 novels. This gives showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins a wealth of material to draw from if the chance comes up!

When Will Rivals Season 2 Be Released?

If you're wondering when a possible second season of Rivals might come out, it looks like we might have to be patient for a while before any new episodes appear.

Considering that the casting news for Rivals came out in March 2023 and the first season premiered in October 2024, it appears that filming for the show was completed in about a year. This suggests that if a second season gets approved soon, we might be expecting Rivals season 2 to debut in late 2025 or 2026.

Naturally, this hinges on coordinating the busy schedules of the talented cast, the development of the second season’s script, and the production timelines. As a result, it might not be until a couple of years from now that Rivals makes its comeback.

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Potential Cast For Rivals Season 2: Who's Next?

Victoria Smurfit portrays Maud, while Aidan Turner plays Declan O'Hara in the series Rivals on Disney Plus.

One of the biggest attractions of Rivals is its well-known cast, and we can definitely anticipate that the residents of Rutshire will be back for more adventures.

Since the first season offered a look into the characters' lives and hinted at numerous opportunities for a possible second season, we anticipate that most of the cast will be back if a season 2 happens.

Nevertheless, it seems that David Tennant, who portrays Lord Tony Baddingham, might not be coming back.

After being struck on the head with an award by his partner and Corinium producer Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), it’s unclear whether Tony will make it through this life-threatening situation.

Likewise, it remains uncertain if Maud (played by Victoria Smurfit) will make a comeback after catching her family off guard by departing from their new house in Rutshire to head back to London.

Here’s a list of the primary cast members from Rivals that we anticipate will come back for a potential second season:

What To Expect In Rivals Season 2?

David Tennant in Rivals. Available on Disney Plus.

The season 1 finale of Rivals definitely set the stage for some intriguing storylines, which means that if season 2 happens, there will be plenty to dive into.

If there happens to be a second season of Rivals, it’s likely we would witness the consequences of Cameron attacking Tony and learn whether the Corinium MD made it through. Since Cameron was meant to be at home discussing their marriage with Lady Monica (played by Claire Rushbrook), it’s quite possible that if Tony survives, Lady Monica might still decide to leave him.

Since he offered his hand to Cameron and was prepared to end his marriage with Lady Monica for her, Cameron's act of betraying him by joining Venturer and having an affair with Rupert (Alex Hassell) could very well unleash a darker side of Tony that we haven't seen before.

Clearly, there's a chance that Tony might pass away, which would mean that the fight for independent television in the Central South West region would essentially come to an end.

Regarding the other characters, Rupert and Taggie (played by Bella Maclean) shared a significant moment when they kissed for the first time and expressed their feelings for each other. However, they were both aware that Rupert was involved in a TV project with Cameron. Additionally, he has a strong loyalty to Declan, Taggie's father, having vowed to keep his distance from Taggie. If their relationship were to become known, it could potentially jeopardize Rupert and Declan's professional collaboration.

After discovering that her husband was having an affair with her co-host Sarah Stratton (Emily Atack), Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson) decided to take the plunge and start her own affair with Freddie (Danny Dyer). Although she hadn't pursued her feelings earlier in the series, by the finale, the two appeared to be infatuated with each other as they embraced their desires instead of staying faithful to partners who didn't bring them joy.

Sarah's life took a turn for the worse when she discovered she was expecting a baby, and things got even tougher when Tony announced that her co-host for the new gossip show would be journalist Beattie Johnson (played by Annabel Scholey). Since this show was meant to be Sarah's big break in television, she was understandably upset to be teamed up with Beattie. This made her question whether she should switch to Venturer. And to add to her troubles, she's left wondering who the father of her child is: Paul (Rufus Jones) or James (Oliver Chris)?

Even though Venturer secured the franchise bid, their challenges are just beginning as they need to establish themselves as a strong competitor against Corinium. In the meantime, it seems that Declan will have to deal with the fallout from Maud's departure. The implications for their marriage and her bond with her children remain unclear, and we’ll have to wait to find out what happens next.

That said, Rivals is only one novel in the original Jilly Cooper book series. If the TV series sticks to the order of the books, there's a strong chance that a second season could feature a completely different group of characters.

The book following Rivals, called Polo!, primarily focuses on Ricky France-Lynch. This means the television series might incorporate elements from the book, as we believe that fans will be eager to see how the intense cliffhangers from the first season unfold.

"Rivals" is set to premiere on Disney Plus on October 18, 2024. You can subscribe to Disney Plus today for £4.99 monthly, or save by opting for an annual plan at £79.90.

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