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Hulu has released a few first-look photos from the upcoming drama series Rivals.

Rivals
Rivals: (top L-R): David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham, Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker, Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara; (bottom L-R): Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook, Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black, Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara — Photos credit: Robert Viglasky © 2023 Disney

The highly-anticipated new series Rivals is based on the book Rivals by Dame Jilly Cooper, the second title in her best-selling “Rutshire Chronicles” novels, the iconic literary series packed full of wit, romantic entanglements, sex, and unforgettable characters.

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

Included in the first wave of images are six of the story’s iconic characters.

  • Rupert Campbell-Black, a dangerously charismatic rake, ex-Olympian, and Member of Parliament — played by Alex Hassell (The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Boys).
  • Lord Tony Baddingham, the controller of Corinium Television and Rupert’s single-mindedly ambitious and egotistical adversary — played by David Tennant (Doctor Who, Good Omens).

A long-simmering power struggle between Rupert and Tony threatens to boil over when the two men lock horns over the future of Corinium. Caught in the crossfire of the long-simmering feud between them is:

  • Declan O’Hara, a fiercely intellectual journalist and TV presenter with an even fiercer temper — played by Aidan Turner (Poldark, The Suspect). After being wooed to Corinium TV from the BBC by Baddingham himself, Declan feels he’s been swindled when Tony refuses to deliver on his promises. Furious with Tony, Declan vows to get his revenge.

Keeping the O’Hara family together is:

  • Taggie O’Hara, the tender-hearted and strong-willed eldest daughter of Declan and his fickle, bohemian, former-actress wife, Maud (Victoria Smurfit, Bloodlands, Once Upon A Time) — played by Bella Maclean (Spring Awakening, Sex Education). Taggie keeps an eye on her younger and wilder sister, Caitlin (Catriona Chandler, Pistol, Enola Holmes 2), and becomes an unexpected temptation for Rupert.

Meanwhile, there’s an American in their midst.

  • Cameron Cook, a ferociously talented American TV executive who is brought to England by Tony to produce Declan’s new prime-time talk show — played by Nafessa Williams (Black Lighting, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody). Cameron soon finds herself caught between these two powerful men, both of whom deeply underestimate her… at their peril.

And then there’s…

  • Lizzie Vereker, a romantic novelist suffering from a distinct lack of romance in her life — played by Katherine Parkinson (Humans, Here We Go). The irony is due to Lizzie being consistently overlooked by her preening and self-centered TV presenter husband, James Vereker (Oliver Chris, The Crown, Trying).
Rivals
Rivals: (top L-R): David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham, Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker, Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara; (bottom L-R): Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook, Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black, Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara — Photos credit: Robert Viglasky © 2023 Disney

The eight-episode series also stars:

  • Danny Dyer (EastEnders, The Football Factory) as the honorable, loyal, and lovable self-made electronics millionaire Freddie Jones. Freddie’s got the money, but finds himself, as well as his social-climbing wife, Valerie (Lisa McGrillis, Maternal, Mum), an outsider to Rutshire’s cliques. But when Rupert and Tony come to him with a business proposition, all that could change.
  • Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood, Magpie Murders) as Lady Monica Baddingham, Tony’s dependable, upper-crust wife, who has absolutely no interest in the dramatic goings-on within her husband’s empire.
  • Luke Pasqualino (Shantaram, The Musketeers) as the charming Basil “Bas” Baddingham, Tony’s younger brother and the proprietor of Cotchester’s hot spot, Bar Sinister.
  • Emily Atack (The Emily Atack Show, The Inbetweeners) as Sarah Stratton, the new wife of Deputy Prime Minister Paul Stratton (Rufus Jones, Home, W1A). Sarah is ambitious and not afraid to use her looks to get to the top, while Paul is in the throes of a midlife crisis… and everyone knows it.

Rivals is written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal) and Laura Wade (The Riot Club) alongside the series’ episodic writers, including Sophie Goodhart (Sex Education), Marek Horn (Octopolis), Mimi Hare & Clare Naylor (The Accidental Husband), Dare Aiyegbayo (EastEnders), and Kefi Chadwick (Avoidance), as well as Episode 6 shadow writer Tray Agyeman and staff writer Sorcha Kurien Walsh (The Pink Pill).

The lead director is Elliot Hegarty (Ted Lasso), who also serves as executive producer on Episodes 1-4, with Dee Koppang O’Leary (The Crown) and Alexandra Brodski (Somewhere Boy) also directing episodes. Eliza Mellor (Poldark) serves as Series Producer.

A production of Happy Prince (part of ITV Studios), the series is executive produced by Treadwell-Collins, Wade, Alexander Lamb, Felicity Blunt, Rivals author Dame Jilly Cooper, and Director of Scripted Content for Disney+ EMEA Lee Mason.

Rivals will premiere in the US on Hulu later this year (date tba) and in other territories on Disney+. Stay tuned for updates.

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Snowpiercer booksRivals by Jilly Cooper

Rutshire Chronicles books“Rutshire Chronicles” novels by Jilly Cooper



Rivals: Hulu Releases First-Look Photos from New Drama Series
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