Rivals Season 2 adds Atwell and Everett in 12-episode Rutshire drama

Disney’s Rivals is expanding its cast for a bigger second season, adding Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett in guest-starring roles as Helen and Malise Gordon. Production is underway in the United Kingdom, with plans for a 12-episode run that will continue the adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire-set drama. The series is produced by Happy Prince for ITV Studios and will air on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney platforms internationally, as the production team invites a wider audience to the satirical world of 1980s British television.

The new season broadens the ensemble with a slate of new face names alongside a familiar core. In addition to Atwell and Everett, Season 2 will feature Maxim Ays, Holly Cattle, Oliver Dench, Amanda Lawrence, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt and Jonny Weldon, joining returning cast members from Season 1 who helped drive the show’s popularity. The creative team emphasizes that the addition of Atwell and Everett brings a pair of high-profile, stage-and-screen performers whose involvement underscores the series’ ambition while remaining faithful to the spirit of Jilly Cooper’s beloved novels.

Helen Gordon, played by Atwell, is Rupert Campbell-Black’s ex-wife...