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Rivals returns to Disney+ in 2026
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LONDON / BRISTOL, U.K. (Monday 8th December) Her Majesty, The Queen, today visited the set of Disney+’s Emmy and BAFTA award-winning drama series, “Rivals” at The Bottle Yard’s TBY2 Studios’ in Bristol.
“Rivals”, which is currently filming its second season is based on the best-selling novel by the late and much missed Dame Jilly Cooper and is produced by Happy Prince (part of ITV Studios).
During today’s visit, Her Majesty completed a behind-the-scenes tour of the set led by Rivals' award-winning Executive Producers, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Alexander Lamb, Felicity Blunt and Laura Wade and Series Producer Eliza Mellor. Her Majesty observed filming, met various members of the production team as well as lead cast members including Alex Hassell (Rupert Campbell Black), Bella Maclean (Taggie O’Hara), David Tennant (Tony Baddingham), Nafessa Williams (Cameron Cook), Victoria Smurfitt (Maud O’Hara) and Oliver Chris (James Vereker).
An exclusive first look of the new ‘Master Dog’ set was revealed with Her Majesty getting to meet four of Rutshire’s finest canines, as well as stepping into the iconic Bar Sinister and the O’Hara family’s Priory Kitchen.
The Queen also learnt how the “Rivals” production team has provided a boost to the creative industries in the South West, providing training and opportunities for young people from the region. Her Majesty met with the series' BAFTA award-winning Production Designer, Dominic Hyman, as well as the BAFTA award-winning Hair and Make-up team, led by Hair and Make-up Designer, Jill Sweeney.
A visit to the Costume Department showcased the outfits and designs celebrating the 1980s style and fashion of the era, led by Ray Holman, Costume Designer. The “Rivals” production team has collaborated with The King’s Foundation, and a member of the King’s Foundation alumni was present on the day showcasing some of the costume work featuring in the upcoming series.
Dame Jilly Cooper passed away in October this year, but members of her family were present during the tour, as they celebrated the cultural impact of the legendry author.
“Rivals” will return in 2026 to Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the UK and internationally. All episodes of “Rivals” season 1 are available to stream now, on Disney+.
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ABOUT DISNEY+
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ABOUT RIVALS
“Rivals” returns in 2026 with even more wit, desire, and jaw-dropping twists. Power struggles intensify, rivalries deepen and ambition pushes loyalties to the brink. The first season has become the streamers most successful general entertainment premiere on Disney+ in the UK to date* and following its launch in October 2024, the series has been met with international acclaim garnering 11 award wins and 32 nominations, which includes an International Emmy for Best Drama Series in November.
“Rivals” made by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios is executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (‘A Very English Scandal’, ‘Holding’, ‘EastEnders’), Alexander Lamb (‘Ackley Bridge’, ‘The Bay’, ‘We Hunt Together’), Felicity Blunt, Elliot Hegarty (‘Cheaters’, ‘Ted Lasso’), Olivier Award-winning playwright Laura Wade (‘The Riot Club’), “Rivals” author Dame Jilly Cooper and for Disney+ EMEA Scripted Content, Jonny Richards. Eliza Mellor (‘The Midwich Cuckoos’, ‘Behind Her Eyes’, ‘Poldark’) returns as Series Producer. It is written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Sophie Goodhart, Sam Hoare, Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor, Sorcha Kurien-Walsh and Dare Aiyegbayo, directed by Elliot Hegarty, Jamie J Johnson and Dee Koppang O’Leary. “Rivals” is based on the novel of the same name, part of Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles. The series was commissioned by Executive Director of Scripted Content for Disney+ EMEA, Lee Mason.
Production of the new series is underway for an extended season of twelve episodes. Filming takes place at The Bottle Yard Studios’ TBY2 facility in Bristol.
ABOUT HAPPY PRINCE
Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios, is a drama label launched in 2019 by award-winning producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins. Placing the viewer squarely at the centre of all that they do, the label’s ambition is to tell quality authentic, intelligent and heartfelt stories that emotionally resonate with a broad audience. Its current slate includes; Jim Cartwright's award-winning play The Rise & Fall of Little Voice with Miramax TV, Daughter for ITV and ITVX, written by BAFTA and RTS award-winning writer Sarah Phelps and Wideacre, the international bestselling novel from Philippa Gregory, the acclaimed author of The Other Boleyn Girl and The White Queen while previous shows include the adaptation of Graham Norton’s novel Holding and modern love story You & Me for ITVX and of course RIVALS for Disney+ and Hulu.
Prior to Happy Prince, Treadwell-Collins was Head of Television at Blueprint Pictures, where he was Executive Producer for the Golden Globe, Emmy, Critics Choice, Rose D'Or, RTS and BAFTA-winning series A Very English Scandal, starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw, written by Russell T Davies and directed by Stephen Frears. Before this he was Executive Producer of EastEnders, bringing Danny Dyer and his family into the Queen Vic and creating the show’s iconic ‘Who Killed Lucy?’ storyline with Alex Lamb, which climaxed after a year with a week of live episodes, reaching over 20 million viewers and winning BAFTA, RTS, NTA, MIND, British Soap and Attitude awards. Dominic also exec produced and wrote the pilot episode for series one of RIVALS.
Alexander Lamb joined Happy Prince in 2021 and works as Executive Producer across the slate, working closely with Treadwell-Collins. In 2019 Lamb produced the second series of ITV ratings smash The Bay for Tall Story Pictures part of ITV Studios before joining BBC Studios as Creative Executive where he oversaw a number of developments and was Executive Producer on Alibi’s We Hunt Together. Before this he produced 2 series of celebrated Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge for The Forge, and was Story Producer for EastEnders, overseeing the BAFTA-winning “Who Killed Lucy” plots as well as creating some of EastEnders' most enduring and award-winning characters and storylines with Dominic over a period of fifteen years. He has also worked on Emmerdale, Waterloo Road and T4. More recently Alex exec produced YOU & ME for ITV and RIVALS for Disney+ and Hulu.
ABOUT BOTTLE YARD STUDIOS
The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol is the largest film and TV studio in the West of England. 11 BAFTA albert-accredited stages are available; eight at its original site TBY1 and three at its state-of-the-art TBY2 facility, which opened in 2022 offering premium, fully soundproofed stage space.
Stages of up to 22,000 sq ft and heights of up to 34ft provide endless opportunities for set builds. Facilities include a 5,000 sq ft green screen studio, 35,000 sq ft of furnished production offices, ample ancillary workspaces, plus a Creative Hub of 15 onsite companies delivering specialist services. Hosted titles include: Rivals (Disney+), Down Cemetery Road (Apple TV+), Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light (BBC), The Forsytes (5/Masterpiece), Malory Towers (CBBC), The Outlaws (BBC/Amazon Prime Video), A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (BBC/Netflix), Sanditon (ITVX), Poldark (BBC/Masterpiece), Broadchurch (ITV) and Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (BBC).
TBY2 is the highest performing studio in the 2025-26 BAFTA albert Studio Sustainability Standard, achieving Outstanding alongside TBY1’s Excellent rating. TBY2’s power supply is supported by a 1MW solar array, one of the largest community-owned PV rooftops in the UK and winner of Best Sustainable Initiative at the 2023 Global Production Awards.
The Bottle Yard Studios is a Bristol City Council initiative supported by West of England Mayoral Combined Authority Investment. www.thebottleyard.com