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The juicy, scandalous, oh-so-good, can’t-stop-watching Rivals will be back for a second season, and there’s still plenty of source material in Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name it can pull. The first season dropped on Hulu (Disney+ internationally) in October, then the series was renewed for a second in December. “Nearly 40 years after my novel Rivals was published, I’ve adored seeing the world fall in love with my beloved characters – Rutshire’s Finest. And it has been a fairytale come true working with Happy Prince and Disney+ on the first season. 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!” Cooper, who also serves as an executive producer on the show, said in a statement at the time. Added Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Chief Creative Officer of Happy Prince and Alexander Lamb,...

Rivals, Industry and Alma’s Not Normal were among the winners at the U.K.’s Royal Television Society Program Awards Tuesday night.

Across the 29 competitive categories, the BBC led with 16 wins, including for Sophie Willan’s sitcom Alma’s Not Normal and Steven Knight’s musical This Town, which took home the newly combined award for limited series and single drama.

Elsewhere, Danny Dyer took best supporting actor — male for his outing in Disney+’s hit drama Rivals, which also earned Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade the writing prize for drama as judges assessed the Jilly Cooper adaptation as “bold and totally assured in its very distinctive tone and style.”

Continuing to impress is Richard Gadd’s Netflix limited series Baby Reindeer as Golden Globe winner Jessica Gunning won the Rts Programme Award in the best supporting actor — female category.

James Coren and Ruth Jones, creators of the hugely popular hit Gavin & Stacey,...

Rivals, the Disney+ series about sex and scandal in the British television industry in the 1980s, was one of the big winners at the Royal Television Society (Rts) Progamme Awards.

At a ceremony in London on Tuesday, Danny Dyer took home Supporting Actor – Male for his role as electronics businessman Freddie Jones in the Jilly Cooper adaptation. It is his second prize in the space of a week after he won Best Actor at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards.

Rivals writers Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade won best Writer – Drama at the Rts awards, with judges praising the show’s “very distinctive tone and style.”

Elsewhere, HBO/BBC show Industry won best Drama Series in its third season. “A series with feature film production values and brilliant performances in which every story detail had a purpose,” judges said.

In other performance categories, Jessica Gunning continues her awards hot streak for Baby Reindeer,...

It certainly feels like Disney+ Emea (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) scripted originals are in a good place. That’s according to the man in charge, Lee Mason, executive director of scripted originals, Emea Disney+, who sat down with The Hollywood Reporter for an interview on how his team’s successes are shaping the streamer’s strategy.

“I’m feeling positive,” Mason, previously the commissioning editor for drama at Channel 4, says. “[Especially] off the back of Rivals and A Thousand Blows.”

These two shows — vastly different in terms of genre — have a lot in common, the executive argues. “My feeling has always been about not moving too far away from what Disney+ is,” Mason explains. “That’s characters you care about, worlds that intrigue you and stories that move you. That’s got to be the starting point.”

Rivals, already confirmed for a season two, took the U.K. by...

“Rivals,” Hulu and Disney+’s acclaimed drama about the ruthless British independent television industry of the 1980s, will return for Season 2, Hulu announced Wednesday.

The series is based on a 1988 novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, and tells the story of wealthy and ambitious entrepreneurs Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Tony, Lord Baddingham (David Tennant) as they build a network to compete with the BBC during the era of deregulation. It’s a witty and sexy show that has found an audience on both sides of the pond since its release in October.

“Nearly 40 years after my novel Rivals was published, I’ve adored seeing the world fall in love with my beloved characters — Rutshire’s Finest,” Cooper said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, referencing the series her novel is part of, the “Rutshire Chronicles. “And it has been a fairytale come true working with Happy Prince [part of co0269801 autoITV Studios...

Hulu announced today that the drama Rivals, based on the novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, will return for a second season. Following a dramatic, cliff-hanger ending, Emea Disney+ with Happy Prince (part of ITV Studios) has officially renewed the hit UK Original series for a second run.

Rivals Season 2 will debut on Hulu in the U.S. and on Disney+ in the UK and internationally.

Rivals is part of Cooper’s bestselling “Rutshire Chronicles,” and is packed full of wit, romantic entanglements, sex and unforgettable characters. The story is set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England in the ruthless world of independent television.

The series is executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Alexander Lamb, Felicity Blunt, Elliot Hegarty, Olivier Award-winning playwright Laura Wade (The Riot Club), Rivals author Dame Jilly Cooper and for Disney+ Emea Scripted Content, Jonny Richards.

Phew — a second season of British drama Rivals is on the way. Walt Disney streamer Disney+ said on Wednesday that its critically acclaimed series, based on the novel of the same name by Jilly Cooper, will return for a second season after the first ended on a dramatic cliffhanger.

With a star-studded cast of Aidan Turner, David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean, Emily Atack, Victoria Smurfit, Katherine Parkinson, Danny Dyer, Nafessa Williams and Luke Pasqualino, the series has proved overwhelmingly popular with Disney+ viewers.

The story follows Cooper’s novel on the infamous scoundrel Rupert Campbell-Black (Hassell) and his rivalry with Tony Baddingham (Tennant) that seeps into the world of Baddingham’s Corinium independent commercial television station, located in the fictional county of Rutshire, the Cotswolds in southwest England.

Rivals is part of Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles series of novels. The author said: “Nearly 40 years after my novel Rivals was published,...

Jilly Cooper fans have reason to rejoice: “Rivals” is returning for a second season.

Based on Cooper’s bestselling “bonkbuster” of the same name, the series stars Emily Atack, Aidan Turner and David Tennant as residents of a fictional English village called Rutshire where they regularly fight, flirt and fornicate.

The book was first published in 1988.

Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger, with Cooper’s iconic hunk Rupert Campbell-Black (played by Alex Hassell) finally giving in to his feelings for his friend’s daughter Taggie (Bella Maclean), some 16 years his junior, and evil TV boss Tony Baddingham (Tennant) getting his comeuppance after violently beating his mistress and employee Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams).

Last month Tennant told Variety he felt “very fortunate” to be part of the series, despite only taking on the role of Baddingham at the behest of his wife Georgia. “It’s happened a handful of times to me...

Spoiler Alert: This story contains spoilers for “Rivals,” now streaming on Hulu/Disney+.

British author Jilly Cooper is synonymous with sex. In the U.K., the 87-year-old has long reigned as the queen of “bonkbusters” (aka romance novels), with titles like “Riders” and “Tackle” usually accompanied by saucy jacket covers (one edition of “Riders” features a woman in tight-fitting horse-riding pants with a man’s hand placed provocatively on her posterior.)

“She’s a writer with a reputation within the United Kingdom,” says Felicity Blunt, Cooper’s longtime literary agent at Curtis Brown (part of UTA). “But I would say you should never judge a book by a cover.”

That much is evident in an expensive and expansive new TV adaptation of one of her most famous books, “Rivals,” which took the U.K. by storm when it was released on Disney+ last month and is now catching on in the U.

The producer of Disney+ hit Rivals previously told Deadline he encountered snobbery when he pitched the adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bestselling novel about sexual and professional antics among the posh country set.

Now, the producer of a lavish BBC period drama has said Rivals “is not a show I would make.”

Sir Colin Callender produced Wolf Hall, a big budget historical drama about King Henry VIII and his competing courtiers which returns this weekend for a second series after a ten-year break. He was speaking at a Broadcasting Press Guild event in London when he questioned why something like Rivals would be made. The Times newspaper reports that Callender said of the show which has been a big hit for Disney and which features a game of naked tennis and many other frolics:

“The fact that something is successful is not necessarily the sole criteria by which I would...

A new drama led by David Tennant has a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score and it looks to be a streaming success. Tennant will forever be known for his role as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, a portrayal that has made the actor an absolute favorite among fans of the seminal sci-fi series. But in recent years, the veteran performer has added several other popular credits to his filmography.

He showed a more villainous side as Kilgrave in the Marvel show Jessica Jones, toggling the line between loathsome and compelling, while starring opposite Krysten Ritter. He's also a co-lead on Good Omens, which will wrap up with a 90-minute farewell, ending his run on Prime Video's popular supernatural series alongside Michael Sheen. But the BAFTA-nominated actor recently debuted a new starring role.

Rivals Is Tennant's Latest Hit It Streams On Hulu

Reelgood confirms that Rivals is already making an impression on the streaming charts.

To say the relationships at the center of Rivals, the Hulu adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s book, are messy would be an understatement. But that’s what makes it—and the novel—so good. There are quite a few changes from the pages to the screen, notably in Tony (David Tennant) and Cameron’s (Nafessa Williams) relationship and how that ends—is he dead?!—while others are exactly what we pictured, like Rupert (Alex Hassell) and Taggie’s (Bella Maclean) meeting. And with the first season (the show has yet to be renewed) not covering the entire book, there’s plenty to explore should it continue. TV Insider decided to get the author’s take on the relationships from her mind depicted on screen. There are quite a few changes from the book. Which ones excited you the most to see explored on the ...

There’s a new series about the foibles of a wealthy group of neighbors who share cocktails, secrets, and lovers to hilarious and sometimes devastating effect. (And Nicole Kidman isn’t starring in it!) “Rivals” premiered on Hulu October 18, and its combination of ’80s go-go excess and English countryside life is a potent mix. And what befits these horny buggers more than houses befitting their varying stations in life?

Based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel in her Rutshire Chronicles, “Rivals” filmed its fictional community on location across Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, using private homes for the exteriors (and some interiors) of its characters’ estates. And in production designer Dominic Hyman, “Rivals” (created by Dominic Treadwell-Collins) found the ideal architect for its home unsweet homes. “It was a world that I completely understood,” Hyman told IndieWire. “I was in my late teens in 1986, ’87, and I kind of dipped in and out...

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Rivals season 1.

Rivals EP explains why season 1 ending is so different from Dame Jilly Cooper's book, which the Hulu show is based on. Rivals follows an ensemble cast and sees Rupert Cambell-Black (Alex Hassel) and Tony Baddingham's (David Tennant) fierce rivalry conclude with Tony learning about his producer and mistress Cameron's (Nafessa Williams) relationship with Rupert. They get into a physical fight. Cameron fights back by knocking Tony with the award they won, leaving Tony's fate unknown, whereas in the book, Tony is the one who beats Cameron.

Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins explains to TV Insider that they decided early on not to put the "awful big moment" where "a man beat a woman to a pulp" in the show. They wanted to leave Cameron "stronger" with a "noisy cliffhanger" that "leaves a lot of questions" with Tony's fate up in the air. The...

Rivals cast members and executive producer have given their views on the possibility of returning for season 2 of the Disney+ show. The adaptation of Jilly Cooper's 1988 novel of the same name focuses on conflicts between the rich and beautiful in the fictional English county of Rutshire. Rivals features an ensemble cast, including David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean, Victoria Smurfit, Danny Dyer, Emily Atack, and Williams. The first season has enjoyed a successful stint on Disney+, so season 2 seems like it will be inevitable.

In interviews with Radiotimes.com, Smurfit and Dyer spoke about the show's success and their hopes for the future. They shared that they would both be open to returning for season 2 and subsequent seasons that might happen. Dyer is intimated that he might be able to do season 2 alongside filming British soap Eastenders, while Smurfit even spoke of wanting a third and fourth season.

Exclusive: Disney+ has elevated its scripted and unscripted bosses in Emea.

Rivals commissioner Lee Mason becomes Executive Director of Scripted Originals, Emea Disney+, while Sean Doyle has been given the same title on the unscripted side. Their roles remain similar and they have not been given additional responsibilities.

The pair of commissioners in Diego Londono’s Emea content team have been with Disney for more than three years and both previously worked for Channel 4. The execs took to LinkedIn to say they were “happy to share the news.”

Mason took charge of Disney+’s Emea scripted responsibilities last year when Johanna Devereaux moved to Apple TV+. He oversees Disney+ Emea scripted launches along with the development slate and has recently seen the rollout of one of his most high-profile, Rivals. Speaking to Deadline last week, Rivals exec Dominic Treadwell-Collins hailed Mason’s understanding of the project’s aims from the get go.

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for all of Rivals Season 1.] The adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, now streaming on Hulu, changes a few things from the book, most notably the ending. Rivals ends its first season in such a way that we need a Season 2. Tony (David Tennant) learns about Cameron (Nafessa Williams) and Rupert’s (Alex Hassell) relationship. Tony and Cameron’s subsequent fight ends with her hitting him hard with the award they won—and possibly killing him?! Meanwhile, Rupert and Taggie (Bella Maclean) finally kiss, and Maud (Victoria Smurfit) leaves Declan (Aidan Turner), who chooses his work—as his, Rupert, and Freddie’s (Danny Dyer) Venturer is given the go-ahead to pitch for the franchise against Tony’s Corinium. Below, executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins does a deep dive with us on Rivals Season 1 and begins to tease what could be ahead should it be renewed. Will there be a Season 2? You’ve set...

Sally Rooney recently stunned the entertainment world when in a newspaper interview, she said her experience of adapting her much-loved coming-of-age novel Normal People for the BBC and Hulu left her feeling like TV was “not a world where I belonged.” Accordingly, the in-demand writer has since said no to offers to option her third book, 2021’s Beautiful World, Where Are You. The same will be likely for her latest, Intermezzo.

Rooney’s decision was especially surprising given the TV market has been so driven by book IP, with option prices rising sharply and demand bigger than ever. In fact, around a year ago, we hear drama commissioners put out a call to TV makers. The broad message was “IP over original ideas as often as possible.” While books have long been the engine of television and film, the notion everything must come with proof of concept has shifted the dial.

Streaming on: Disney+

Episodes viewed: 4 of 8

Rivals begins with a climax. Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) is bonking in the toilet of a Concorde that goes supersonic just as he orgasms. A champagne bottle pops and all the passengers cheer as they eat prawn cocktails and chain-smoke to the sound of Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted To Love’. In case it wasn’t yet clear, it’s the 1980s, and everyone’s horny as hell. But in this adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s novel, there’s tension of another kind too, courtesy of that titular feud: a silly yet dangerous rivalry between two posturing men with too much money at their disposal.

Cooper’s hugely successful Rutshire Chronicles were addictive and scandalous in equal measure for multiple generations of women and queer men, who found a riveting escape in her stories of romance and betrayal. Thankfully, none of that absurdity has been lost in translation,...

The Rotten Tomatoes score has been revealed for the series Rivals. Rivals is a new Disney+ show based on the 1988 novel of the same name by Jilly Cooper about a rivalry between Rupert Cambell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) that is set in 1986 and centers on the Corinium television station in the fictional Rutshire county in England. The show, which was written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade and directed by Elliot Hegarty, features a supporting cast that also includes Aidan Turner, Claire Rushbrook, Katherine Parkinson, Luke Pasqualino, Lisa McGrillis, Victoria Smurfit, and Bryony Hannah.

Rotten Tomatoes has now aggregated an official score for Rivals. Although it could fluctuate as more reviews are added, at the time of writing, the series holds a Fresh 86% score from critics on the Tomatometer. This score has been tabulated from seven different critics' reviews and is a full 26% above the 60% threshold past...

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Hulu is ready with an entertainment-packed October this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some brilliant comedy series Abbott Elementary and also new original movies like Hold Your Breath. Just like every month, Hulu is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 13 new movies and TV shows coming to Hulu in October 2024.

Last Days of the Space Age Season 1 (October 2)

Last Days of the Space Age is an Australian drama series created by David Chidlow. The upcoming Hulu series is set in 1979 in Perth, Western Australia and it revolves around three families after the American space station Skylab crash landed on earth just outside the city. Last Days of the Space Age stars Sam Delich, Jesse Spencer, Deborah Mailman, Iain Glen, Linh-Dan Pham, Thomas Weatherall, and George Mason.

Hulu has unveiled the full trailer for the eight-part series, ‘Rivals’, based on the celebrated novel by Dame Jilly Cooper and produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios.

Set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, the show delves headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986. Part of Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles series it is packed full of romantic entanglements, dastardly deals, sex and wit.

The ’80s set saga stars Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson, David Tennant, Aidan Turner and Nafessa Williams, Emily Attack, Danny Dyer, Rufus Jones, Luke Pasqualino, Claire Rushbrook.

Written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade, the lead director is BAFTA-nominated Elliot Hegarty, who also serves as executive producer on episodes 1-4. Eliza Mellor serves as Series Producer. Dee Koppang O’Leary (“The Crown”) and Alexandra Brodski (“Somewhere Boy”) also direct episodes.

Also...

Hulu has revealed the new trailer for the eight-part Rivals series, which is based on the celebrated novel by Dame Jilly Cooper and produced by ITV Studios’ Happy Prince. The series will debut on Hulu in the U.S. on October 18, 2024.

Set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, Rivals delves headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986.

The series stars Alex Hassell as the dashing ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, and dangerously charismatic Rupert Campbell-Black, David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham, and Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara.

Nafessa Williams plays Cameron Cook, Katherine Parkinson portrays Lizzie Vereker, and Bella Maclean plays Taggie O’Hara.

The Rivals series also stars Emily Atack, Catriona Chandler, Oliver Chris, Danny Dyer, Rufus Jones, Lisa McGrillis, Luke Pasqualino, Claire Rushbrook, and Victoria Smurfit.

Rivals is executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Alexander Lamb,...

Hulu’s finally released the full trailer for Rivals, the eight-episode series based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel. David Tennant (Good Omens) and Alex Hassell (The Tragedy of Macbeth) star in the adaptation, premiering on October 18, 2024.

“Set against the backdrop of power-grabbing social elites, Rivals dives headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986, where hair-dos are big and ambitions are even bigger,” reads Hulu’s synopsis. “Deals are brokered in boardrooms, as well as bedrooms. Nobody can be sure who will come out on top. With every man and woman out only for themselves, can true love really blossom?”

David Tennant stars in ‘Rivals’ (Courtesy of Robert Viglasky/Disney)

Hassell plays dashing ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, and dangerously charismatic Rupert Campbell-Black. David Tennant stars as Lord Tony Baddingham. The cast also includes Aidan Turner (Poldark) as Declan O’Hara, Nafessa Williams (Black Lighting) as Cameron Cook, Katherine Parkinson (Humans) as Lizzie Vereker,...

ITV Studios has bought storied British drama label Hartswood Films.

The company described Hartswood as the “longest established scripted producer in the UK.”

Deadline had revealed several months ago that ITV was leading the race to buy Sue Vertue’s outfit, which has made the likes of Sherlock, Dracula and The Devil’s Hour. More recently, it produced Hugh Bonneville-starrer Douglas is Cancelled for ITV. Hartwood was founded in 1979 by Beryl Vertue and is based in London and Cardiff. It was previously majority-owned by her two daughters: Debbie and Sue.

The move is ITV Studios’ first acquisition for several years. The company also owns the likes of Nicola Shindler’s Quay Street Productions, Happy Prince, led by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Ben Stephenson’s Poison Pen Studios and Tiny World producer Plimsoll Productions.

ITV Studios will handle international distribution of Hartswood’s shows.

Julian Bellamy, Managing Director ITV Studios, said: “From Men Behaving Badly to Sherlock,...

Hulu has revealed a new teaser trailer and more photos for the eight-part series Rivals, based on the celebrated novel by Dame Jilly Cooper and produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios. The series is set to debut on Hulu in the U.S. and on Disney+ in other countries later this year.

Set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, Rivals delves headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986.

This second wave of images (view the first wave of images here) introduces nine more iconic characters from the drama: Sarah Stratton, Caitlin O’Hara, James Vereker, and Freddie Jones.

There’s also Paul Stratton, Valerie Jones, Bas Baddingham, Lady Monica Baddingham, and Maud O’Hara.

The first looks are accompanied by a teaser trailer showcasing the ’80s set saga, which also stars Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean,...

Horses, helicopters and hanky-panky are what fans of Jilly Cooper’s iconic novel “Rivals” can expect from Disney’s screen adaptation.

Starring Emily Atack (“The Inbetweeners”), David Tennant (“Doctor Who”) and Aidan Turner (“Poldark”), “Rivals” follows the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England as they break up and couple up.

In the first teaser trailer, which dropped today, Tennant can be seen dressed as an upper crust gentleman farmer, Turner dons a smart suit and Tom Selleck-inspired bushy moustache while Atack adjusts herself in front of a full-length mirror clad in a period-inspired bodycon dress.

Rounding out the cast are Catriona Chandler (“Enola Holmes 2”) as Caitlin O’Hara, Oliver Chris (“The Crown”) as James Vereker, Danny Dyer (“Eastenders”) as Freddie Jones, Rufus Jones (“W1A”) as Paul Stratton, Lisa McGrillis (“Maternal”) as Valerie Jones, Luke Pasqualino (“Skins”) as Bas Baddingham, Claire Rushbrook (“Sherwood”) as Lady Monica Baddingham and Victoria Smurfit...

Disney+ has unveiled a teaser trailer alongside more first-look images of the eight-part series, ‘Rivals’, based on the celebrated novel by Dame Jilly Cooper and produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios.

Set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, the show delves headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986. Part of Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles series it is packed full of romantic entanglements, dastardly deals, sex and wit.

The first-looks feature alongside a teaser trailer showcasing the ’80s set saga which also stars Alex Hassell, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson, David Tennant, Aidan Turner and Nafessa Williams.

Nine more iconic characters from the drama have been unveiled in this second wave of images, introducing Sarah Stratton, Caitlin O’Hara (Catriona Chandler – ‘Pistol’, ‘Enola Holmes 2’), James Vereker (Oliver Chris – ‘The Crown’, ‘Trying’), Freddie Jones (Danny Dyer – ‘EastEnders,...

Hulu today gave a first glimpse of the avidly awaited eight-part series Rivals, based on the celebrated novel by Dame Jilly Cooper and produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios. The series is set to debut on Disney+ in other countries later this year.

Set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, Rivals delves headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986.

This first wave of images unveiled six iconic characters from the drama. Alex Hassell plays the dashing ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, incorrigible rake, and dangerously charismatic Rupert Campbell-Black.

David Tennant features as Lord Tony Baddingham, controller of Corinium Television and Rupert’s single-mindedly ambitious and egotistical adversary. Aidan Turner is journalist and TV presenter Declan O’Hara, who becomes caught in the crossfire of the long-simmering feud between Rupert and Tony.

Nafessa Williams is pictured as Cameron Cook,...

Disney+ thas revealed a set of first-look images of the eight-part series, ‘Rivals’, based on the celebrated novel by Dame Jilly Cooper and produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios.

Set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, the show delves headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986. Part of Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles series it is packed full of romantic entanglements, dastardly deals, sex and wit.

Also in news – Exclusive: New Poster for Freud’s Last Session starring Anthony Hopkins & Matthew Goode

Six of the iconic characters from the drama have been unveiled in this first wave of images. Alex Hassell features as the dashing ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, incorrigible rake, and dangerously charismatic Rupert Campbell-Black.

David Tennant features as Lord Tony Baddingham, controller of Corinium Television and Rupert’s single-mindedly ambitious and egotistical adversary.

Streamer Disney+ has revealed a power packed British cast who will join the previously announced David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner and Danny Dyer on the series adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s steamy novel “Rivals.”

Joining the eight-part saga are Annabel Scholey (“The Split”), Maggie Steed (“Ten Percent”), David Calder (“Motherland”), Antony Byrne (‘”The Witcher”), Denise Black (“Queer as Folk”), Bryony Hannah (“Call The Midwife”), Olivia Poulet (“Back”) and Brendan Patricks (“Downton Abbey”).

“Rivals” is part of Cooper’s bestselling “Rutshire Chronicles,” set in affluent 1980s England where two powerful men and neigbors – Olympian turned politician Rupert Campbell-Black and television exec Tony Baddingham – have a longstanding rivalry that finally comes to a head.

Scholey plays Beattie Johnson, a ruthless Fleet Street journalist who will do anything for a story. Steed plays Lady Gosling, the steely no-nonsense chair of Independent Broadcasters Association. Calder plays Lady Gosling’s dogmatic right-hand man, Fergus Penney,...

David Tennant, Danny Dyer and Aiden Turner have joined the casting line-up for the eight-part series, ‘Rivals’, based on the celebrated novel by Jilly Cooper.

Completing the ensemble cast are Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Claire Rushbrook, Oliver Chris, Lisa McGrillis, Emily Atack, Rufus Jones, Luke Pasqualino and Catriona Chandler.

The original eight-episode series is part of Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles, the iconic literary series packed full of wit, romantic entanglements, sex and unforgettable characters. The story is set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England.

Diving headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986. In the fictional county of Rutshire, a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men is about to boil over. Alex Hassell plays dashing ex-Olympian, Tory Member of Parliament and incorrigible rake, the dangerously charismatic Rupert Campbell-Black. David Tennant...

U.K. streamer Itvx has released a trailer for three-part drama “You & Me.”

Harry Lawtey (“Industry”), Jessica Barden (“The End of the F***ing World”) and Sophia Brown (“The Witcher: Blood Origin”) star in writer and creator Jamie Davis’ contemporary love story.

The series is produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, and executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (“A Very English Scandal”), Alexander Lamb (“We Hunt Together”) and Russell T. Davies (“It’s A Sin,” “Doctor Who”).

Lawtey plays Ben, a young northerner in London who finds his life changed forever when catastrophe strikes on the happiest day of his life. Barden plays Emma, a rising theater star who hides tragedy behind her success and Brown plays Jess, a young woman whose life takes an unexpected turn when she’s running for a bus. The story is told over two separate timelines across the three episodes.

The cast also includes...

EastEnders fans are waving goodbye to Danny Dyer after the Christmas Day episode, as the actor leaves the soap after nine years of playing Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter.

The 45-year-old joined the cast of the BBC One soap on Christmas Day in 2013, shortly followed by his on-screen wife Linda Carter, played by Kellie Bright.

Warning: spoilers ahead for the Christmas Day 2022 episode of EastEnders

In last night’s episode (25 December), Mick learns the truth about his pregnant new wife Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) and everything she’s done to his ex-wife Linda.

Mick then professes his love to Linda, and Janine attempts to flee the country.

Chasing after her, Mick and Linda follow her to the seaside where they confront her. Janine and Linda end up going over the edge of a clifftop into the ocean.

Linda urges Mick to rescue pregnant Janine, and he does before rushing back...

Danny Dyer has reflected on his initial casting in EastEnders, saying the show’s producer “took a risk” on him, as he waves goodbye to the soap after nine years.

The actor said “not in a million years” did he think he would have lasted almost a decade playing Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter on the series.

The 45-year-old actor joined the cast of the BBC One soap on Christmas Day in 2013, shortly followed by his on-screen wife Linda Carter, played by Kellie Bright.

After appearing in 1,150 episodes, Dyer is scheduled to leave the soap on Christmas Day this year, with dramatic teaser scenes of his character chasing his betrothed Janine Butcher out of Albert Square.

Dyer said: “It’s very emotional for me, I’m very attached to this show. It’s been a third of my career.

“Thirty years I’ve been knocking about in our industry and...

The life of Justin Fashanu, the first footballer to come out as gay, and his brother John Fashanu, is to be turned into an ITV drama from BAFTA-nominated writer Kwame Kwei-Armah.

Justin Fashanu was an extremely talented footballer who became the first black British footballer to be sold for £1M (1.2M) at the age of just 20, becoming one of the most celebrated people in British sport. In 1990, he came out as gay and by 1998, with his football career in tatters and ostracized by his family, he committed suicide.

The drama will weave together the lives of Justin Fashanu and his brother John Fashanu, who also played football and was estranged from his brother at the time of his death.

ITV said the drama is being put together with the support of Fashanu’s brother and other contributors include LGBTQ+ campaigner Peter Tatchell. Dominic Treadwell Collins’ ITV Studios label Happy Prince is producing,...

“Rivals,” the steamy 1980s novel from “Queen of the Bonkbuster” Jilly Cooper is set to be adapted for streamer Disney+.

The eight-part series is set in affluent 1980s England where two powerful men and neigbors – Olympian turned politician Rupert Campbell-Black and television exec Tony Baddingham – have a longstanding rivalry that finally comes to a head.

“As tensions rise and rivalries deepen, there are spilled secrets, forged alliances, and snatched liaisons that draw wives, lovers, colleagues, friends, and families into their battle,” reads the longline.

The series will be produced by Happy Prince Productions, which is part of ITV Studios. Elliot Hegarty (“Ted Lasso”) will lead direct and exec produce episodes 1-3. Eliza Mellor (“The Midwich Cuckoos”) is series producer.

Dominic Treadwell-Collins (“A Very English Scandal”) will exec produce alongside Cooper, Alexander Lamb (“The Bay”), literary agent Felicity Blunt, writer Laura Wade and Lee Mason, director of scripted content for Disney...

Disney+ has greenlit a new eight-part series titled Rivals, based on the popular novel by British author Jilly Cooper.

Set in the fictional upper-class county of Rutshire, Rivals dives headfirst into the cutthroat world of independent television in 1986 when a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men is about to boil over: ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, and notorious womanizer Rupert Campbell-Black, and his Rutshire neighbor Tony Baddingham, controller of the independent TV franchise Corinium Television.

As tensions rise and rivalries deepen, there are spilled secrets, forged alliances, and snatched liaisons that draw wives, lovers, colleagues, friends, and families into their battle.

“The combination of Jilly Cooper and Disney+ is delightfully unexpected. We were thrilled when Dominic brought us these iconic books, and we leapt at the chance to bring them to life. We can’t wait to welcome Rupert Campbell-Black and the residents of Rutshire to the platform,” said Lee Mason,...

Former BBC drama boss leaves JJ Abram’s Bad Robot after seven years.

Ben Stephenson is leaving JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot to launch a transatlantic drama label with ITV Studios.

The company will have bases in London and Los Angeles, and the former BBC controller of drama commissioning will split his time between the two. Distribution for the new label will be led by ITV Studios.

Stephenson has been head of television at Bad Robot since 2015, where he was responsible for developing and executive producing titles including HBO’s Westworld and LoveCraft Country and Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story and Little Voice at Apple.

Harry Lawtey (“Industry”), Jessica Barden (“The End of the F***ing World”) and Sophia Brown (“The Witcher: Blood Origin”) star in writer Jamie Davis’ contemporary love story “You & Me.”

Produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, and executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (“A Very English Scandal”), Alexander Lamb (“We Hunt Together”) and Russell T. Davies (“It’s A Sin”) the three-part series has begun filming on location in Southeast London, and first looks have been revealed. The drama will premiere on ITV’s new, free streaming service Itvx in 2023, and transfer to linear transmission later.

Lawtey plays Ben, a young northerner in London who finds his life changed forever when catastrophe strikes on the happiest day of his life. Barden plays Emma, a rising theater star who hides tragedy behind her success and Brown plays Jess, a young woman whose life takes an unexpected turn when she’s running for a bus.

Paul Bettany and Claire Foy are sparring as the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in the first trailer for Prime Video’s “A Very British Scandal.”

The drama series, which hails from the creators of “A Very English Scandal,” follows the couple’s divorce in the 1960s, which proved to be one of the most notorious, extraordinary, and brutal legal cases of the 20th century.

Foy plays Margaret, the Duchess of Argyll, who was famed for her beauty and charisma before the Duke (Bettany) exposed her to the press with accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, secret recording, bribery, and an explicit Polaroid picture.

The trailer begins with a rather tense interaction between the two in which Bettany’s Duke greets his Duchess with “Hello, Satan.”

“You bastard,” she replies, before the video cuts to their first meeting, where they quickly become enamored of each other. It isn’t long...

Karen Thrussell has joined “A Very British Scandal” producer Blueprint Television as head of television. She will oversee the development and production of all series.

Thrussell replaces Dominic Treadwell-Collins, who now runs Happy Prince, a new drama label under ITV Studios. She joins from Mammoth Screen, where she executive produced five seasons of BAFTA winning series “Poldark” and the Sarah Phelps Agatha Christie adaptations “And Then There Were None,” “Ordeal by Innocence” and “The Witness for the Prosecution” for BBC One.

Blueprint Television is a sister company to Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin’s Blueprint Pictures. Blueprint Television also produced Emmy and BAFTA winning series “A Very English Scandal” (2018), starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw. “A Very British Scandal,” starring Claire Foy and Paul Bettany was broadcast on BBC One in the U.K. in Dec. 2021 and will be released on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S., Canada, Australia...

A Very British Scandal producer Blueprint Television has hired Poldark exec Karen Thrussell as Head of Television.

Thrussell also exec produced a number of Sarah Phelps’ BBC One Agatha Christie adaptations including And Then There Were None, Ordeal By Innocence and Witness for the Prosecution.

She will oversee the Sony-backed outfit’s development and production of all TV series, having most recently been behind BBC One/Amazon Christmas hit A Very British Scandal and 2018’s double-bafta-winning A Very English Scandal.

She replaces Dominic Treadwell-Collins, who left in 2019 to launch his own ITV Studios-backed label Happy Prince.

Thrussell said: “Blueprint Pictures work with some of the greatest talent from around the globe and produce beautiful, top quality film and TV so the opportunity of joining the team seemed too good to miss.”

Blueprint Television is sister company to Blueprint Pictures, which is run by Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin.

BBC One and Amazon Studios have revealed the first trailer for upcoming series “A Very British Scandal,” featuring Claire Foy, two-time Emmy winner for Netflix’s “The Crown.”

Foy stars as Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, alongside Paul Bettany (“WandaVision”) as Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll, and Julia Davis (“Nighty Night”) as Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.

Written by Sarah Phelps (“The Pale Horse”), the series is from the makers of the award-winning “A Very English Scandal,” Blueprint Pictures. It focuses on the divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, one of the most notorious legal cases of the 20th century. Famed for her charisma, beauty, and style, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, dominated the front pages as the divorce exposed accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, bribery, and an explicit Polaroid picture that was to haunt her for the rest of her life.

“A Very British Scandal...

Exclusive: Miramax TV has optioned the rights to Nina de Gramont’s upcoming novel The Christie Affair, a reimagining of Agatha Christie’s 11-day disappearance, to develop and produce as a limited series. British writer Juliette Towhidi (Calendar Girls) is set to pen the adaptation.

In 1926, when her husband’s affair became public, Agatha Christie vanished for eleven days. This reimagining is told through the eyes of her husband’s mistress, Nan O’Dea. Agatha and Nan transform from competitors to unlikely allies while the world around them remains cloaked in the dark, unable to grasp the complexities of each woman’s relationship to her past and her female identity. Set mostly in the beautiful and historic British spa town of Harrogate, The Christie Affair is part sweeping love story– but not the one you expect — part exploration of the bonds...

The first-look images have been released for BBC One and Amazon Studios’ A Very British Scandal, from the makers of the award-winning A Very English Scandal, Blueprint Pictures.

The new photos feature Claire Foy as Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, Paul Bettany as Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll, and Julia Davis as Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.

Both companies also jointly released new casting details. The new faces joining the project are:

- Amanda Drew

- Richard McCabe

- Phoebe Nicholls

- Camilla Rutherford

- Timothy Renouf

- Sophia Myles

- Sophie Ward

- Tim Steed

- Katherine Manners.

A Very British Scandal focuses on the divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, one of the most notorious, extraordinary, and brutal legal cases of the 20th century. Famed for her charisma, beauty, and style, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, dominated the front pages as the divorce exposed accusations of forgery,...

BBC One and Amazon Studios have revealed several first look images from upcoming series “A Very British Scandal,” featuring Claire Foy, two-time Emmy winner for Netflix’s “The Crown.”

Foy stars as Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, alongside Paul Bettany (“WandaVision”) as Ian Campbell, 11th Duke of Argyll, and Julia Davis (“Nighty Night”) as Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.

Written by Sarah Phelps (“The Pale Horse”), the series is from the makers of the award-winning “A Very English Scandal,” Blueprint Pictures. It focuses on the divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, one of the most notorious legal cases of the 20th century. Famed for her charisma, beauty, and style, Margaret, Duchess of Argyll, dominated the front pages as the divorce exposed accusations of forgery, theft, violence, drug-taking, bribery, and an explicit Polaroid picture that was to haunt her for the rest of her life.

“A Very British Scandal...

Exclusive: The BBC is developing a small screen adaptation of Michael Ondaatje’s novel The English Patient.

The British public broadcaster is in the early stages of development of the drama project, which comes from Run and Taboo writer Emily Ballou. It is a co-production between Miramax Television and Paramount Television Studios.

Deadline understands that the drama series represents a new interpretation of Ondaatje’s book, which follows four dissimilar people brought together at an Italian villa during World War II, and not a remake of the 1996 Miramax feature film adaptation directed by Anthony Minghella that won nine Oscars including Best Picture.

The book, which was published in 1992, follows a unrecognisably burned man — the eponymous patient, presumed to be English — his Canadian Army nurse, a Sikh British Army sapper and a Canadian thief. Set behind the North African and Italian campaigns of the Second World War, the book is told...

Production

BBC Studios Germany has secured its first commission since launching in the territory this year — a local adaptation of British sitcom “Miranda” — and is co-producing the eight-part series for Zdf Neo with Studio Zentral.

“Miranda,” a BBC production written by and starring Miranda Hart, will be adapted for a German audience with the working title “Ruby” and will be directed by Natascha Beller. The screenplay is being adapted by Giulia Becker (“Kroymann”) and Anika Soisson (“Findher”) and Anna Böger (“Tatort”) plays the lead role of Ruby. Filming is currently taking place in Cologne.

The show sees Ruby facing the challenges of everyday life in a slightly clumsy way. The cast also includes Irene Rindje and Camill Jammal.

“Miranda” was previously adapted for the U.S. as “Call me Kat,” starring Mayim Bialik (“The Big Bang Theory”), by Fox Television, where it has been renewed for a second season.

BBC...

ITV has greenlit a four-part adaptation of Graham Norton’s darkly comic debut novel Holding, with Game Of Thrones star Conleth Hill attached in the lead role.

The project hails from Happy Prince, the ITV Studios-backed production company established by A Very English Scandal producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins, and will be directed by British comedy star Kathy Burke.

Adapted by Treadwell-Collins and Karen Cogan, Holding tells the story of Irish police officer, Sergeant Pj Collins, a gentle mountain of a man, who hides from people and fills his days with comfort food and half-hearted police work.

When the body of long-lost local legend Tommy Burke is discovered in the fictional village of Duneen, West Cork, Pj is called to solve a serious crime for the first time in his career. Pj finally has to connect with the village he has tried hard to avoid.

Holding is produced by Happy Prince...