Jilly Cooper’s Rivals was a defining novel of the 1980s with its full-on portrayal of the sex and backstabbing among an eccentric cast of characters in the fictional county of Rutshire.
The much-anticipated adaptation of the iconic bonkbuster, which delves into the cutthroat world of independent television in the late Eighties, will hit screens on Disney+ this month and boasts a who’s who of stars.
When it comes to ensemble casts, few rival Rivals. The series brings the novel to life with the likes of David Tennant, Danny Dyer, and Emily Atack leading the charge.
The eight-part series, has been praised by critics and is faithful to Cooper’s bestselling novel, centring on the fierce rivalry between two larger-than-life characters - Rupert Campbell-Black (played by Alex Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant).
Expect a heady mix of sex, romantic entanglements, and plenty of outrageous antics, all wrapped up in the world of power and privilege.
Here's a look at the star-studded cast bringing this un-PC book to life.
David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham
Best known for his role as the 10th Doctor in Doctor Who, Tennant, who has also starred in Good Omens, Inside Man, Des, Broadchurch, and Around the World in 80 Days., leads the cast In Rivals as the wealthy Lord Tony Baddingham.
Speaking of his character, who has become an iconic figure from Cooper’s book, he says: "He owns Corinium Television, back in the day when ITV was split up into regional franchises, and each of those franchises would be renewed every few years. Owning one of those television stations was a big deal. They were big.
“This was the days of Granada, Thames and Tyne Tees, and Corinium is the Rutshire television franchise. Tony is very well-connected, very rich, and is very interested in making sure that that continues and indeed grows."
When asked what drew him to Rivals, he said: "My wife. I knew of Jilly and her writing, obviously, but it wasn't something I had a great previous knowledge of.
“When the script first came in, and I told Georgia, she was convinced that this was something I had to be involved with.
“She said, 'This series is going to be huge. This is going to be exactly what the country needs, exactly what the world needs.' She knew the books from her teenage years, as I understand, and knew that this was going to make sensational television."
Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black
Hassell plays the rakish and dangerously charismatic ex-Olympian and Tory MP, Rupert Campbell-Black. The actor, whose who has starred in The Boys, Silent Witness, The Miniaturist, and, most notably, as Metatron in His Dark Materials, says playing Rupert was, “really, really fun.”
“I mean, we are very, very different, so it was very fun to try and get my head into that way of thinking and the Eighties mentality,” he added. “What to take out of myself and my view of the world and one's more modern approach to all manner of social engagement rules.
Being objectified by lots of people was interesting too."There were certain days when I'd be quite intimidated by the scenes because they describe Rupert walking into a room, and everyone stops what they're doing and looks at him and swoons," he added.
"I was nervous about having to try and convince people of that. And then, of course, I get there, and everyone has been told to act as if I'm Harry Styles and therefore, my day turns into a really wonderful day. It's like a fantasy."
Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara
Poldark star Turner plays Declan, a TV presenter lured from the BBC to Corinium TV by Baddingham, only to feel swindled and consequently determined to get revenge.
“It came around at a time in my career when I wanted to do something like this,” he said when asked about why he joined the cast of RIvals. “I wanted to have fun in a show,"
"I wanted to do something that had elements of comedy,” he continued. “I wanted to be in a show that was an ensemble with really good, funny actors, and I really wanted to share that platform... There's a dozen of us equally sharing this platform, and we all have our own subplots in the show, so it feels like we're all sharing this thing.
“There are a lot of actors who I admire in this show and getting an opportunity like this to work with them was a no-brainer for me."
Turner previously told The Times: "We have so much sex on our show, we have to have two intimacy coaches. Two. Every day we’re in a different huge manor house somewhere, having garden parties... We’re all up for the party. We went out the other night to the Ivy. We had a late night, lots of cocktails. Never wanted a season two of anything more in my life."
Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
The former EastEnders star plays Freddie, a self-made electronics millionaire who, despite his wealth, remains an outsider in Rutshire's upper-class circles, alongside his social-climbing wife, Valerie (played by Lisa McGrillis).
"There's quite a lot of vulgar characters in this, and it's all about power," said Dyer, who hadn't read any Cooper books before filming, though he had heard about them from his mother. "
“A bit like Succession. There's a lot about power, and there’s a lot of sex in it, of course, because it's Jilly Cooper, but the sex really is about power in this.
“Freddie is a good man,” he adds. “He's a very, very rich man. He's the richest man in the show."I see him as being based on an Alan Sugar-type character in the sense that he does computers and satellites and all that sort of stuff, so he's way ahead of his time," he added. "He's got a good heart. He's very switched on."
On playing a part unlike his usual "hard-man" characters, Dyer noted: "Playing a role where I look very different is important because I've not had many opportunities to do it, and I think that that will maybe change a few people's perceptions of me."
Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham
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The actress, best known for Secrets & Lies, plays aristocrat Lady Baddingham. "I've always loved Jilly Cooper," she said. "I was a teenager in the Eighties, so I read her work then. I went to meet the producers, and I thought they were so playful and excited and twinkly and dangerous and brave in how they talked about what they wanted to do."
Rushbrook was particularly drawn to the show's "dark side," explaining, "There was no suggestion of it being cosy, you know, a saucy romantic drama for an easy Sunday night. It was more thrilling than that. The script itself... was just so witty and intelligent and dark and sexy. I was very thrilled to be asked."
Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton
The Inbetweeners star plays Sarah Stratton, an "extremely promiscuous" character she didn’t think she’d land the role for." It was such an honour to be able to play a role like that when women haven't always been written very well, especially women like this," she explained.
"You could easily just make this woman completely stereotypical and unlikeable, and instead, she was instantly likeable. I read the scene I had to audition for and instantly loved her."
Atack also spoke about how her role resonated with her personally: "There still is a huge issue here with how women are treated. Playing a role like this, I completely embodied her. It also comes from a very personal gut feeling in my stomach about the years that I've struggled in this industry, and you feel you have to use your sexuality to get the things that you want."
Who Else is in Rivals?
In the words of the 1986 Bon Jovi classic, We’re Halfway There! Thanks for all the comments, likes and reactions - stay tuned for more updates!! 🤩👠🍾#RIVALS #RIVALSDISNEY #DISNEY #DISNEYPLUS pic.twitter.com/43sCeFkWaV
— Happy Prince (@HappyPrinceTV) June 16, 2023
Victoria Smurfit (Bloodlands season 2) stars as Maud O’Hara, a former actress and the bohemian, unpredictable wife of Declan O’Hara. Bella Maclean (Sex Education) plays their headstrong daughter, Taggie.
Luke Pasqualino (Our Girl, Skins, The Musketeers) takes on the role of the charming Basil ‘Bas’ Baddingham, Tony’s younger brother and the owner of Rutshire’s hottest nightspot, Bar Sinister.
Nafessa Williams (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody) portrays Cameron Cook, an ambitious American TV executive hired by Tony to produce Declan’s new prime-time talk show.
Katherine Parkinson (The Kennedys, Humans, Here We Go) plays Lizzie Vereker, a romantic novelist constantly overshadowed by her self-absorbed TV presenter husband, James Vereker, portrayed by Oliver Chris (The Crown,Trying).
