Jilly Cooper Expresses Enthusiasm for Second Season of ‘Rivals’ TV Adaptation

Dame Jilly Cooper, author of ‘Rivals’, expressed her excitement regarding the television series based on her novel being renewed, stating that her involvement in the initial series had been “a fairytale come true”. Disney+ granted a second series renewal for ‘Rivals’. The first series, which adapted the second novel in Dame Jilly’s ‘Rutshire Chronicles’ book series, garnered significant praise from both critics and the public. The eight-part series, characterized by its raunchy nature and released in October, includes notable actors such as David Tennant, known for ‘Doctor Who’, and Danny Dyer, formerly of ‘EastEnders’. Its setting encompasses the Cotswolds, where Dame Jilly resides, and London. The author commented, “I’ve adored seeing the world fall in love with my beloved characters – Rutshire’s finest.” ‘Rivals’, which she penned nearly 40 years ago, portrays the cutthroat environment of independent television in 1986. The narrative centers on the rivalry between Rupert Campbell-Black, portrayed by television and theatre actor Alex Hassell, and Tony Baddingham, played by Tennant. Dame Jilly stated, “It has been a fairytale come true working with Happy Prince and Disney+ on the first season.” She added, “I’m orgasmic with excitement and cannot wait for the return of my superhero, Rupert Campbell-Black, and the rest of the characters in season two.” Following the conclusion of series one with a cliffhanger, Lee Mason, executive director of scripted originals at EMEA Disney+, described it as “this autumn’s most talked about series”. Mr. Mason remarked, “We’re thrilled that existing fans of the novels, alongside those new to the Cooperverse, have taken the series to their heart.” He further expressed his hope that season two would deliver “more romance, betrayal, and shoulder pads”. Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Alexander Lamb, chief creative officer and creative director of the production company Happy Prince, characterized the “love” from viewers following series one as “magical”. They stated, “The Rivals team set out to create people’s favourite television show, something enduring that our audience would take to their hearts and watch and re-watch. “We’re delighted that we’re returning to Rutshire with Jilly and Disney+. It’s a special place to be.” The second series of ‘Rivals’ is scheduled to be broadcast on Disney+ both in the UK and globally.