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Stars Katherine Parkinson, Annabel Scholey and creatives behind the hit series joined Angellica Bell for a special Bristol screening and panel, in celebration of local production
The Award-Winning series returns to Disney+ on 15 May
IMAGES HERE
Bristol, UK (14 May 2026) - Tonight, Rivals cast, Katherine Parkinson, Annabel Scholey, the creative team from Happy Prince, The Mayor of the West of England, RTS West of England and The Bottle Yard Studios hosted a special screening and panel in Bristol, in celebration of the regional impact of production in the area.
Production of the hit Hulu Original series, based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s beloved Rutshire Chronicles, is based at The Bottle Yard Studios (TBYS) in Bristol. With 95% of the locations featured in the series filmed within a 30-mile radius of TBYS, across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, all supported by a network of Film Offices across the West of England. The hit series is produced by Happy Prince, part of ITV Studios.
Speaking ahead of the event, Deborah Armstrong, Country Manager, The Walt Disney Company UK & Ireland noted: “Rivals has captured the attention of the nation whilst showcasing the very best of British and Irish talent across cast, crew and beyond. The West of England, and Bristol in particular, have been integral to the show’s success.
“Disney is proud of the role we play in Bristol’s thriving creative ecosystem. Our presence spans the production of local Originals such as Rivals and National Geographic documentaries, as well as bringing audiences together through live experiences, including our recent sell-out stage show, The Greatest Showman."
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: "The West Country is proud to be the real-life Rutshire, somewhere seen by people all around the world - and something which is inspiring more visitors to come to, and fall in love with, our region.
"We should celebrate the immense on-screen and off-screen talent that goes into making programmes like Rivals, and so it was really special to bring together so many of the people who made this production possible. Like Her Majesty The Queen, I was blown away last year while visiting Dame Jilly Cooper's unrivalled universe first-hand at The Bottle Yard Studios in south Bristol.
"The economic impact of filming TV is huge for jobs and businesses in the West of England, which we want to super-charge through our new £25 million Creative Places Growth Fund. Rivals being made here has directly and indirectly helped add millions of pounds to the country's fastest-growing regional economy. We look forward to continuing to work with Disney+, Happy Prince, and ITV Studios in the future to create more magic in our part of the world."
In a speech welcoming guests, including the Tourism Minister and the British Film Commission, to the West of England, the Mayor praised the Bristol City Council-owned Bottle Yard Studios and the network of supportive Film Offices run by local councils across the region, and the impact of skills programmes like All Set West - which saw local trainees take their first steps in the industry working on Rivals, learning from world-renowned cast and crew. She also made a plug for a pair of Rivals' iconic red heels to find a home in Bath Fashion Museum when it reopens in the coming years.
Alexander Lamb, Executive Producer, Rivals and Creative Director at Happy Prince, added: “Both Rivals series 1 and 2 were entirely made possible by the talent, ingenuity, tenacity and good humour found in the West of England. Just like Declan O’Hara’s Venturer Television, Happy Prince are committed to showcasing the very best of the region, to bring its perfect locations and the work of it’s gifted crew to screen for the rest of the world to enjoy. We are eternally grateful for the continued warm welcome afforded to our cast and crew and hope to be making further series of Rivals in the West of England for many years to come.”
The Bottle Yard’s Head of Studios, Katherine Nash adds: “Rivals is a flagship scripted title for Bristol and the West, and what a pleasure it has been to celebrate this with Disney+ and the show's brilliant cast and creative team this evening. A returning booking of this calibre is what every Studio and filming region aspires to secure and is testament to our world-class facilities and the responsive support of our Studios Team and regional Film Offices from early prep through to wrap.”
“Welcoming Happy Prince and ITV Studios back for Season 2 was an honour made all the greater by Her Majesty The Queen's set visit during filming. The benefits this international hit is bringing to our film sector are substantial; from local crew and supply chain engagement, to supporting industry entrants through All Set West, spotlighting our stunning locations and driving wider economic spend across the region. The Bottle Yard is proud to be Studio home to Rivals, a West Country success through and through."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
BRISTOL PHOTOGRAPHY AVAILABLE HERE
SERIES IMAGERY AVAILABLE HERE
TRAILER AVAILABLE HERE
Photo Credit: Disney / West of England Mayoral Combined Authority / Freia TurlandSeries Credit: Rivals streaming from 15th May on Disney+
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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 WECA
The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is the strategic body covering Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire, with North Somerset in the process of joining. Led by Mayor Helen Godwin since May 2025, the region is the country's fastest growing regional economy.
The area is also proud be home to cultural icons including Bristol Old Vic, one of the world's oldest theatres; Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage City; and Oscar-winners like Aardman and Emmy-winners like Rivals.
The West of England has secured £25 million of devolved funding to strengthen its support the creative sector - including screen/production - over the next three years, through the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport's Creative Places Growth Fund. It is also the first place in the UK to undertake a Citizens' Assembly to develop a cultural plan for the future, something praised by Secretary of State Lisa Nandy.
About Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is an educational charity committed to widening participation in the media industries and supporting people throughout their careers. From agenda-setting debates to prestigious annual awards, the RTS provides an open and prominent forum for discussion on all aspects of the industry. The vibrant West of England centre curates a programme of events to spotlight local talent and explore topics of regional interest.
About The 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 for hire; eight at the original site TBY1 and three at the state-of-the-art TBY2 facility, which opened in 2022 offering premium, fully soundproofed stage space.
Floor areas up to 22,000 sq ft and heights of up to 34ft provide endless opportunities for set builds. With a 5,000 sq ft green screen studio, 35,000 sq ft of furnished production offices and ample ancillary workspaces - plus more than 15 on-site companies delivering specialist services – you’ll find everything you need for a fully supported shoot. View recently hosted titles here.
TBY2 is the highest performing studio in the current BAFTA albert Studio Sustainability Standard, rated ‘Outstanding’ alongside TBY1’s ‘Excellent’ in the global 2025/26 cohort. TBY2’s power supply is supported by a giant 1MW solar array funded by Bristol Energy Cooperative, the largest community-owned PV rooftop in the UK. The ambitious installation won 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.
The Bottle Yard Studios, Bristol Film Office and Bristol UNESCO City of Film are the three divisions within Bristol City Council’s Film Services. Together they co-deliver the BFI-funded All Set West skills programme.