The long-anticipated second season of Rivals is set to grace our screens this week (15 May). It is based on Dame Jilly Cooper's iconic romp Rivals featuring the ever-favourite character Rupert Campbell-Black and stars actors such as David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Emily Atack and Poldark’s Aidan Turner.
Set in 1980s Britain, the racy drama takes place in the cutthroat world of independent television. At its heart is the fierce rivalry between two powerful men: the charismatic ex-Olympian and Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black, and his nemesis, Lord 'Tony' Baddingham, the ambitious controller of Corinium Television.
Where was Rivals filmed?
Given Rivals was set in Cooper's fictional county of Rutshire in the Cotswolds, it is only right that both seasons of the Rivals television series were largely filmed in-and-around the West Country - particularly Corsham, Bristol and Bath.
And with many of the characters owning fabulous country houses - and even stately homes - the series is resplendent with historic, lavish houses and their rich, luxurious interiors.
One of the houses featured is the beautiful Woodbank House in Monmouthshire, a sprawling property with views over the River Usk and Usk Valley.
Neston Park, a historic English country house and estate, is used as Lord Tony Baddingham's country home (known as The Falconry on-screen).
Filming crew were also spotted filming at the beautiful historic Elizabethan Grade I listed Chavenage House near Tetbury, which is used as the family home of the O'Hara's. (Sharp-eyed viewers will also have spotted it being used as the home of the Poldark's in the BBC TV series, which Aidan Turner also starred in.) The town of Tetbury doubled for the fictional town of Cotchester in Cooper's works.
Actor Aidan Turner let it slip in a Facebook post that Battleaxes pub in Wraxall, Somerset, had been used during filming. While Bristol's Harbour Hotel on Corn Street in Bristol's historic Old City formed a backdrop for a glamorous television awards ceremony, complete with a red carpet. Bristol itself was used extensively for filming, production, and studio work during both seasons.
In particular, season one was one of the first major productions to film at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove Bristol, and season two returned to the same location. In December 2025, Queen Camilla visited the Rivals set at Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios, where Disney+ revealed new sets including Bar Sinister and the O’Hara family kitchen. Filming also took place at Clevedon, on the coast.
Remembering Dame Jilly Cooper
Jilly Cooper became a dame in the 2024 New Year Honours. She passed away at her Gloucestershire home on 5 October 2025, at age 88.
How can I watch Rivals?
Rivals is available to watch on Disney+.
Buy the book Rivals from Amazon
