Rivals is coming back, with cast and crew currently on set filming series 2 in the fictional village of Rutshire. And if our suspicions are correct, there'll have very little clothes on (thankfully it's nearly summer!).

Disney+ has confirmed that filming has begun on the second season of the award-winning series, which first aired in 2024.

Based on the best-selling novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, the TV adaptation was undoubtedly one of the stand-out hits of the year. And series 2 promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Here's everything we know about Rivals series 2 so far...

Is there a series 2 of Rivals on Disney+?

Disney+ confirmed they'd commissioned a second run of Rivals back in December 2024. And now the streaming service has revealed the cast and crew have started filming.

We're told: "As power struggles escalate and rivalries deepen, ambition drives every move, pushing loyalties to the edge."

The plot? Well, you don't really need to worry about that. Needless to say there IS one, but don't get caught up in the nitty-gritty. Rivals is about sex, chemistry, love, and - as the title suggests - rivalry.

A synopsis tells us: "Careers, marriages, and reputations hang in the balance as personal and professional lives collide in a world where secrets can't stay hidden for long.

"Bold, emotionally charged, and filled with unforgettable moments, Rivals is a thrilling ride through a landscape of breathtaking beauty, fierce competition, and life-changing decisions - where the cost of success could be everything." What they said!

How many episodes is the second season?

Rivals series 2 is set to be 12 episodes, that's longer than the first series which was only eight.

A spokesperson for Disney+ told us: "The drama returns with an extended season of 12 episodes - and even more wit, desire, and dramatic twists."

Who's in the cast?

All the main players of Rivals will return in the cast, and that includes David Tennant as Tony Baddingham - whose life hung in the balance in the dramatic series 1 finale.

Alex Hassell will also return as Rupert Campbell-Black, opposite Aidan Turner's Declan O'Hara, Danny Dyer's Freddie Jones, and Bella Maclean's Taggie O'Hara.

The cast of Rivals series 2 sees the following actors all reprise their roles: Nafessa Williams, Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Claire Rushbrook, Oliver Chris, Lisa McGrillis, Emily Atack, Rufus Jones, Luca Pasqualino, Catriona Chandler and Annabel Scholey.

Disney+ told us: "Set against the backdrop of the stunning Cotswolds countryside and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television, the second instalment will see the return of the all-star cast that won the hearts of fans and critics alike as well as introducing brand new faces."

'Sex-static filming for the second season'

Executive Producer and Rivals author, Dame Jilly Cooper commented: "I'm utterly sex-static filming for the second season is upon us. It was magical working with Happy Prince and Disney+ on the first season and seeing everyone fall head over heels for my beloved characters."

The novelist added: "I'm delighted to be able to work with them again and for everyone to see what further mischief they all get up to!"

When's the start date of Rivals series 2? How can I watch?

Rivals will return to Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK and internationally.

Although Disney+ has not yet announced a start date for Rivals series 2, we're predicting it might be some time coming (snigger) as filming has only just started.

There's hope it might be this year, though. Rivals series 1 landed in September 2024. So perhaps series 2 will arrive around the same time in 2025. We're keeping everything crossed!

Did Jilly Cooper write a sequel to the novel Rivals?

Jilly Cooper fans will know that Rivals is the second in the Rutshire Chronicles series. The first book, called Riders, was first published in 1985. The book introduced the character of Rupert Campbell-Black. Rivals followed in 1988.

Rivals is the second novel in Dame Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles. Explaining why Rivals is the favourite of her books, she said: "I think Rivals is my favourite novel because I love the characters so much. Even the most ruthless display moments of tenderness and vulnerability and the shyest and gentlest show courage and integrity as true love blossoms."

There are actually 11 books in Jilly Cooper's Rutshire Chronicles, with the last being Tackle! published in as recently as 2023. Olympian and hero Rupert Campbell-Black appears in all of the Rutshire Chronicles novels by Jilly Cooper.

Read more: Rivals on Disney+ review - Jilly Cooper adaptation is riotous fun with its tongue firmly in cheek (and elsewhere)

Rivals series 1 is currently available to stream on Disney+, with series 2 currently in production.