All 8 Ships in 'Rivals,' Ranked

2 days ago 4

Rupert (Alex Hassell) and Taggie (Bella Maclean) in 'Rivals' Season 2.

Published May 28, 2026, 11:36 AM EDT

Anja Djuricic was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1992. Her first interest in film started very early, as she learned to speak English by watching Disney animated movies (and many, many reruns). Anja soon became inspired to learn more foreign languages to understand more movies, so she entered the Japanese language and literature Bachelor Studies at the University of Belgrade.

Anja is also one of the founders of the DJ duo Vazda Garant, specializing in underground electronic music influenced by various electronic genres.

Anja loves to do puzzles in her spare time, pet cats wherever she meets them, and play The Sims. Anja's Letterboxd four includes Memories of Murder, Parasite, Nope, and The Road to El Dorado.

Rivals Season 2 is now available on our streaming services (though not in full), and it's just as entertaining as ever. Despite the fact that there is a lot of scheming, double-crossing, and sex for profit, the show's campiness is laced with social and class consciousness and, most notably, the hypocrisy of wealth and power. One of the show's (and the novel's) strengths is its large cast of characters, and we find ourselves caring for many of them, ultimately wanting to see them happy.

For some of our beloved characters, there's also a pairing, or a "ship," involved in the story. Whether it's Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) with one of his love interests or a hidden relationship that gives the pair a brand-new, deeper dimension, here's every Rivals ship, ranked by its appeal and levels of making total sense.

8 Cameron Cook and Tony Baddingham

Tony Baddingham and Cameron Cook together in 'Rivals'

Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) and his newly appointed Corinium producer from America, Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), begin their working relationship with a physical relationship. However, in Season 2, Cameron is miles away from having any affection for Tony, though during their time together, they were a power couple by all accounts. On paper, they make sense: Tony is ambitious and influential, while Cameron is resourceful and confident; Cameron can help Tony get whatever he wants, and his power-wielding methods have undoubtedly won her over more than once.

The problem ensues when we realize that Tony is deeply insecure and harbors intense feelings of inadequacy, whereas Cameron has a cold exterior but a warm, caring heart. They worked for a moment before Tony became controlling and awful to her, demonstrating to Cameron that his coldness is not the same as hers but rather a cover for who he truly is—a bitter man. This ship has sailed, but it made sense while it was still afloat.

7 Cameron Cook and Rupert Campbell-Black

Alex Hassell and Nafessa Williams hugging and gazing at each other on the streets in Rivals Season 1

Rupert and Cameron are currently the main couple in Season 2, but I'm not sure if it's just me—something feels off. Though they're an amazing couple, they both hide behind cold, overconfident facades, and there appears to be a constant divide in their relationship. For starters, Cameron cannot connect with Rupert's young children; they refuse to accept her, and she appears uninterested in getting to know them. She tells Rupert that she loves him, but he responds with a silence followed by an "I adore you," making Cameron reconsider her decision to confess her feelings.

Cameron may truly love Rupert for who he is, but she's more likely mixing up his character with how he makes her feel. He protected her from Tony after she hit him with a statue, preventing her from being arrested; Rupert essentially saved Cameron when she needed it the most, no questions asked. Rupert, on the other hand, is as charismatic as they come, but he doesn't seem to be challenged by anyone except Taggie (Bella Maclean), who defies him and doesn't fall for him as easily, despite her strong feelings for him. Rupert and Cameron may not be endgame, but their dynamic is very interesting in terms of plot.

6 Cameron Cook and Patrick O'Hara

Nafessa Williams and Gabriel Tierney on a bench at dawn, talking in Rivals Season 1

Speaking of Cameron, there is someone on the show who appears to not only admire her beauty but also to be concerned about her feelings and health. Whether Cameron is in love with Rupert or not, their relationship does not appear to be long-term due to the "situation" between him and Taggie. She would, however, be better off with Patrick (Gabriel Tierney), Taggie's older brother and the oldest of the O'Hara children. Patrick is aware of Taggie's relationship with Rupert, and in Season 2, he comforts her after their first kiss. It's painful to see him watch someone he cares about be in a relationship while knowing it's not as true as she would like it to be.

In Season 1, Patrick and Cameron exchange a passionate kiss, a dance, and a genuine conversation in which he makes promises Cameron has likely not heard from anyone yet. Though he is younger than her, he is an idealist at heart, and he would undoubtedly treat her with the love and respect he believes she deserves. With him, she could finally shed her facade and be herself; it would probably take a long time, but tearing down something that took years to build is never easy.

5 Taggie O'Hara and Basil Baddingham

Luca Pasqualino riding a horse in Rivals

This isn't technically a ship so much as wishful thinking, but it's nice to imagine Taggie with someone closer to her age and who wouldn't have to overcome a decade or two of avoidant-attachment demons in order to fully commit to her. At the start of Season 2, Taggie and her father Declan (Aidan Turner) go to Freddie Jones' (Danny Dyer) new villa in the Cotswolds, which boasts an indoor pool. Basil (Luca Pasqualino) is one of the guests in the pool, and when Taggie notices him exiting, she becomes visibly flustered by his appearance.

In other instances, Basil flashes glances in Taggie's direction, watching her simply exist and do things, with a hint of desire in his eyes. There may be hidden chemistry, but the series' main relationship is between our young chef and Rupert, the forlorn MP. Taggie and Basil is a ship I personally support because I'm not a fan of her and Rupert's age difference; additionally, Pasqualino was my personal choice in Skins, and I thought I'd put that behind me, but my teen years took their toll on me.

Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw

Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it's your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

🦁Gryffindor

🐍Slytherin

🦡Hufflepuff

🦅Ravenclaw

PLACE THE HAT →

What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.

ACourage — I act even when I'm afraid, because what's right matters more than what's safe. BAmbition — I know what I want and I have the drive and cunning to get there. CLoyalty — I show up for the people I love, no matter what it costs me. DWisdom — I think before I act and I'm always hungry to understand more.

NEXT QUESTION →

A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.

AStep in immediately and confront whoever is responsible — I won't stand by. BWork out the best strategy to address it — a smart move beats a rash one. CBe by their side, support them, and help them through it however they need. DAnalyse what's actually happening and find the most reasoned, fair solution.

NEXT QUESTION →

What does success look like to you? What you're working toward defines who you're becoming.

ABeing remembered as someone who fought for what was right, whatever the odds. BAchieving the goals I set for myself — influence, status, and earned respect. CA life where the people I care about know I was there for them, always. DMastering my field, contributing something meaningful, and never stopping learning.

NEXT QUESTION →

What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.

ABeing a coward when it mattered — looking back and knowing I did nothing. BMediocrity — fading into obscurity without making my mark on the world. CLosing the people I love or letting them down when they needed me most. DIgnorance — being wrong and not knowing it, or never reaching my potential.

NEXT QUESTION →

The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.

ABreak the rules — if it's the right thing to do, no rule should stop me. BFind a way to get what I want without getting caught. Rules are guidelines. CProbably follow the rules — but I'd find a way to help within them if I could. DThink it through carefully — is the rule unjust, or is my gut just impatient?

NEXT QUESTION →

What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.

AThe protector — I will go to the ends of the earth for the people I care about. BThe strategist — I give sharp advice and I'm the one who figures out how to fix things. CThe constant — I'm always there, always reliable, and I never make it about me. DThe guide — I help people think things through and see perspectives they've missed.

NEXT QUESTION →

You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.

AYourself standing victorious, having faced the greatest challenge and won. BYourself at the height of your power — respected, successful, and in control. CYourself surrounded by everyone you love, whole and happy and together. DYourself with all the answers — every book read, every mystery solved.

NEXT QUESTION →

The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: "You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?" This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.

ABravery. I want to be the kind of person who acts when others won't. BGreatness. I want to leave my mark and be more than ordinary. CBelonging. I want to be part of something good and never let my people down. DUnderstanding. I want to know the truth of things and keep growing forever.

REVEAL MY HOUSE →

The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen

After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.

🦁 Gryffindor

You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you're terrified — especially then.

Gryffindors don't act because they're fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
You charge toward what's right even when the odds are terrible.
Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts's greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.

🐍 Slytherin

You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.

Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.

🦡 Hufflepuff

You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.

Hufflepuff is not the "safe" house or the "leftover" house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
You show up. You work hard. You don't need glory or recognition — you do what's right because it's right.
Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world's finest. And now you join them.

🦅 Ravenclaw

Your mind is your greatest gift, and you've always known it.

Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it's about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don't know something yet.
You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

4 Maud and Declan O'Hara

Victoria Smurfit and Aidan Turner in Rivals Season 2

Declan and Maud O'Hara (Victoria Smurfit) are probably the sexiest married couple in Rivals; Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfit aren't just some of the hottest people on British television, but they have an electric chemistry. Declan shows signs of so obviously admiring and loving Maud: the way he smiles when she enters the NYE party on a camel in Season 1 is just one of the many examples of how much he adores her. However, Declan is a workaholic and a visionary, and Maud is a creative, an actress that wants to get her laurels, and their rift there becomes the most obvious.

Maud wishes to be seen, heard, and desired in Season 1, resorting to trying to seduce Rupert because he feels like a good enough conquest. Declan, painfully unaware that his wife's problem isn't wanting other men—but not feeling wanted enough by him—expresses jealousy, but rarely does what he actually should when it comes to his marriage. In Season 2, his obligations clash with Maud's, who is now a full-time theater actor, and with Maud accepting an offer from Tony to star in a Corinium play, we're left to see where that takes her and Declan's marriage. There's no doubt their chemistry is real, but their marriage is another proof of the phrase "Love isn't always enough."

3 Charles Fairburn and Gerald Middleton

Gary Lamont and Hubert Burton smiling at each other and going in for a kiss in Rivals Season 1

Charles Fairburn (Gary Lamont) is one of Rivals' biggest sweethearts, and we just deeply want to see him happy. Moreover, since he's gay in Margaret Thatcher's world, his romances have to remain hidden and under total wraps, even when he feels the most in love. After meeting Rupert's personal aide, Gerald Middleton (Hubert Burton), they begin an affair, but it grows into a deep affection; they're one of the steadiest and most loving couples in the show, even if only we know about them. Charles is openly gay, while Gerald hides due to his political ambitions.

See, Gerald is a Conservative Party hopeful, and his goal is to enter politics. Charles wishes to be a producer and works at Corinium while secretly telling Tony's moves to Rupert, Declan, and the others. In Season 1, Gerald presents his idea of marrying a woman to be able to enter politics, but it would be a "lavender marriage," and he would maintain his relationship with Charles because, as he says, "He can't live without him." Gerald's choice of wife may prove to be challenging, but we'll have to wait and see what Season 2 has in store for one of the sweetest couples on TV.

2 Lizzie Vereker and Freddie Jones

Danny Dyer and Katherine Parkinson looking at each other gently and talking in Rivals Season 2

Freddie Jones, the Japanese-speaking, food-loving, dancing king of the Cotswolds, appears to be happily married to his wife Val (Lisa McGrillis), but she doesn't share his desire to be carefree and joyful in the company of the other rich folk. When Freddie joins romance novelist and Corinium anchor James Vereker's (Oliver Chris) wife Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson) for a fun dance-off at a party, we see just how well they actually get along. At the end of Season 1, Freddie and Lizzie finally take a step forward in their attraction by sleeping together under the open sky (or, more accurately, under a tree), but both are painfully aware that their relationship is impossible because they are married to others.

However, Lizzie's marriage appears to be far more unhappy than Freddie's; James treats Lizzie as a convenience rather than a person with desires. His ego is more inflated than the economy, and he truly believes he is a seductive beast simply because he's on television. Freddie and Val appear to be fine, but Freddie clearly isn't himself around her, as evidenced throughout the series. The biggest obstacle for Freddie and Lizzie is their reputation and the possibility of hurting other people's feelings, but they can be together. When they find themselves alone in a room, the screen explodes with chemistry; they have an attraction that feels so natural, intense, and, most importantly, long-lasting. Their romance gives the impression that television has once again found a way to depict a longing between two characters that had been missing from our screens for quite some time.

1 Taggie O'Hara and Rupert Campbell-Black

Is there anything else to say here? The toe-curling, goosebumps-inducing, completely feral chemistry between Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean deserves to be studied, because how can two people look and feel so good on screen? Rupert is 20 years Taggie's senior, and she is supposed to be 18 in the series (she is in the novels); this dynamic alone is strange, to say the least, and people wouldn't accept this relationship easily today. However, we may be compelled to say, "Who cares?" when the two share a scene, because their dynamic is so incredible and even wholesome at times.

Taggie has a strong personality and knows who she is, which may be unusual in Rupert's life. Throughout the series, we see this nearly 40-year-old man change his demeanor toward people, open his heart and mind, and even become a true shoulder to lean on, all because he meets Taggie. In turn, she becomes more assertive, confident, and proactive as a result of his advice. If I were Declan, I would forbid Rupert from ever entering my home, but Declan is so preoccupied with his own marital problems that he appears to be completely unaffected by Taggie and Rupert's ongoing situation. Knowing someone so confident and easy to talk to may not be easy for our MP, but it is something he has long desired. She's not just there to watch Rupert change; there must be a deeper, more profound reason for their unbreakable bond.