Your Favorite Age-Gap Romance Returns in New Look at 'Rivals' Season 2 [Exclusive]

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Published Feb 25, 2026, 12:01 PM EST

In over three years at Collider, senior author Jake has now penned over 2500 articles covering a wide range of TV and film for the resources, lists, utilities, news, and interview teams. Alongside interviewing stars such as Selin Hizli, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Harlan Coben, and Chelsea Peretti, Jake was lucky enough to visit the set of Aardman and Netflix's Wallace and Gromit: A Vengeance Most Fowl in 2024, getting the chance to chat with four-time Academy Award winner Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham. Jake has also worked for other publications, including Agents of Fandom.

Based on the book of the same name by the late great Jilly Cooper, the hit series Rivals arrived in 2024 and took the viewing world by storm. Scoring a near-perfect 95% from critics on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, this unmissable tale of upper-class debauchery and filthy-rich feuding regularly broke into the Hulu top ten and demanded a second-season renewal. Now we are closer than ever to the return of David Tennant's Tony Baddingham, Aidan Turner's Declan O'Hara, and the rest of the Rivals cast, bolstered by the inclusion of Rupert Everett and Agent Carter herself, Hayley Atwell, in Season 2.

Available on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally, Rivals Season 2 is scheduled to debut on May 15, with a three-episode premiere followed by one episode weekly for the next three. Later in the year, the second half of Season 2 will premiere, although a release date for the final six episodes has yet to be announced. Ahead of the second season, Collider has teamed up with Hulu and Disney+ to exclusively debut never-before-seen images of Season 2, as part of our ongoing Exclusive Spring Preview Week event. You can check out brand-new images of Alex Hassell's Rupert Campbell-Black and Bella Maclean's Taggie O’Hara, as well as Nafessa Williams' Cameron Cook, below. A synopsis for Rivals Season 2 reads:

"The battle for the Central South West television franchise reaches a fever pitch as the war between Corinium and Venturer enters a dangerous new phase. More ruthless than ever, Tony Baddingham is determined to dismantle his rivals piece-by-piece, weaponising scandal and manipulating those closest to him to maintain his grip on power.

Amidst the hedonistic glamour of '80s excess, the personal lives of our Rutshire heroes spiral into chaos. Marriages fracture under the weight of ambition, illicit affairs threaten to shatter families, and long-buried secrets ignite with explosive consequences. As rivalries push everyone to the brink, loyalties are tested and hearts are broken in the pursuit of victory. But what is the true cost of war?"

Can 'Rivals' Fans Expect Love to Blossom in Season 2?

In contrast to Rupert and Taggie's tantalizing age-gap affair, fans also couldn't get enough of the wholesome, blossoming love between Danny Dyer's Freddie and Katherine Parkinson's Lizzie in the first season. Their touching will-they/won't-they romance provides a soft counterpoint to the rest of the season's unflinching chaotic scandal. Last May, Dyer teased the continuation of their romance and the season in general, saying, "This series is so much better than the first. It’s that difficult second album thing, but honestly, the writers and the producers have absolutely nailed it, and I can’t wait for people to see it. It’s a beautiful job for me [and] I love working with Katherine [Parkinson]." Here's hoping their love blossoms in Season 2.

Rivals Season 2 will premiere on May 15. Season 1 is currently streaming on Hulu. Make sure to stay tuned for more from Collider's exclusive Spring Preview Event.