Disney+ Sets New Eight-Part Series ‘Rivals’ Based On Jilly Cooper’s Popular Novel

deadline.com:

Disney+ has greenlit a new eight-part series titled Rivals, based on the popular novel by British author Jilly Cooper.Set in the fictional upper-class county of Rutshire, Rivals dives headfirst into the cutthroat world of independent television in 1986 when a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men is about to boil over: ex-Olympian, Member of Parliament, and notorious womanizer Rupert Campbell-Black, and his Rutshire neighbor Tony Baddingham, controller of the independent TV franchise Corinium Television.As tensions rise and rivalries deepen, there are spilled secrets, forged alliances, and snatched liaisons that draw wives, lovers, colleagues, friends, and families into their battle.“The combination of Jilly Cooper and Disney+ is delightfully unexpected.

We were thrilled when Dominic brought us these iconic books, and we leapt at the chance to bring them to life. We can’t wait to welcome Rupert Campbell-Black and the residents of Rutshire to the platform,” said Lee Mason, Director of Scripted Content, EMEA, Disney+.Rivals is part of Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles, a beloved series of novels set amongst the brazen power-grabbing affluent elite of 1980s England.

The series is executive produced by Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal, Holding, EastEnders) and Alexander Lamb (The Bay, We Hunt Together, Ackley Bridge).

Treadwell-Collins has written the series with Olivier Award-winner Laura Wade (The Riot Club). The show will premiere on Disney+ in EMEA and Asia Pacific and on Star+ in Latin America.The series lead director is BAFTA-nominated Elliot Hegarty (Ted Lasso, Cheaters, Trying), who also serves as executive producer on episodes 1-3.