Disney+ has announced an all-star cast for an upcoming drama being filmed in Bristol's new premium studio facility. David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Adrian Turner and Alex Hassell lead an incredible ensemble cast for Rivals, a TV adaption based on the celebrated novel by Jilly Cooper.
The production was the first booking in The Bottle Yard Studios' new £13.2m facility in Hengrove, TBY2, which opened in autumn last year. It offers three new studios built to Hollywood standard less than half a mile from The Bottle Yard Studios' main site.
"Well now this is exciting!" Bottle Yard Studios shared on Twitter. "An incredible cast has been announced for new DisneyPlus drama #Rivals made by @HappyPrinceTV, currently in production at our new TBY2 facility. Welcome to Bristol guys, we’re delighted to have you here!"
Read more: Doctor Who and Alex Rider among TV shows being filmed in Bristol this year - full list
Produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, Rivals is part of Cooper's bestselling Rutshire Chronicles, a fictional county that explores the shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England. The eight-part drama series follows a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men and neighbours - Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) - which is about to boil over.
A power struggle between them threatens to reach a climax when the two men lock horns over the future of Corinium Television, a broadcaster of which Baddingham is the controller. TV presenter Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner) is caught in the crossfire and vouches for revenge after being swindled by Lord Baddingham.
Executive Producer and Rivals author, Jilly Cooper said: "I’m utterly enchanted to be able to announce our all-star line-up for Rivals. Featuring some of the best acting talent that the British Isles has to offer, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better ensemble cast. I cannot wait to be on set and see them bring the characters I love so much to life.
"The minute we met with Alex we knew he’d perfectly embody my all-time hero, the iconic, racy, ruthless, and devastatingly handsome, Rupert Campbell-Black. Viewers are in for a treat!"
Other cast members include EastEnders' Danny Dyer, Emily Atack, Claire Rushbrook, Victoria Smurfit, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson and Nafessa Williams. The lead director is BAFTA-nominated Elliot Hegarty who also serves as executive producer on episodes 1-3 with Eliza Mellor as Series Producer. The UK original series will premiere on Disney+, with no release date confirmed as of yet.
David Tennant and Danny Dyer were spotted this week filming in Gloucestershire showing the two actors in outfits in between takes. Dyer was seen in a suit complete with open shirt, a moustache and a wig and the world-famous Doctor Who actor was also in rather formal attire.
It's not the first time Tennant has been spotted in Bristol recently, as last summer he was pictured in the city centre filming a 60th anniversary episode of Doctor Who with Catherine Tate and Neil Patrick Harris.
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