‘Rivals' Season 2 Release Date, Episode List, Where to Watch
Get ready for more scones and scandal with the second season of cutthroat British drama, "Rivals."
The Emmy and BAFTA-Award winning drama premieres May 15, 2026. There are 12 episodes in total, all airing on Hulu, which means plenty of backstabbing shenanigans are in store.
However, it’s got an unconventional release schedule that’s sure to baffle some viewers. Instead of airing consecutively, "Rivals" Season 2 is broken up into two batches of six episodes.
While the first batch arrives on May 15, the second batch doesn’t yet have a release date, although it’s expected later in 2026. To confuse things further, the premiere kicks off with a simultaneous release of three episodes, followed by three more dropping every Thursday for the next three weeks.
If you missed it the first time round, this British period comedy-drama television series adapted from the 1988 novel by Jilly Cooper is set in the world of 1980s television.
It sees sporty womanizer Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) clash with media mogul Lord Baddingham (David Tennant) as the pair compete over a lucrative television franchise.
"Amidst the hedonistic glamour of ’80s excess, the personal lives of our Rutshire heroes spiral into chaos when illicit affairs threaten to shatter families, and long-buried secrets ignite with explosive consequences," reads Hulu’s official synopsis. "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?"
In season two, Baddingham attempts to destroy rival television company Venturer, founded by his nemesis Campbell-Black alongside Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner).
As well as Tennant and Hassell, the cast includes "Poldark" star Aidan Turner, alongside Katherine Parkinson, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Emily Atack, and Danny Dyer.
How Many Episodes of Rivals Season 2 Are There?
There are 12 episodes of "Rivals" Season 2 in total. Six release weekly starting from May 15, while the remaining six will air on an undisclosed date in 2026.
‘Rivals' Season 2 Reviews
"Rivals" Season 2 has attracted rave reviews so far, with 100% based from five reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
Critics call it "fabulously retro" (The Metro) and "far more than a guilty pleasure" (Collider).
Where to Watch ‘Rivals' Season 2
The series is streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK from Thursday, May 15, 2026.
‘Rivals’ Season 2 Episode Schedule
The full episode release schedule for "Rivals" Season 2 is below.
- Episode 1, streaming May 15, 2026
- Episode 2, streaming May 15, 2026
- Episode 3, streaming May 15, 2026
- Episode 4, streaming May 22, 2026
- Episode 5, streaming May 29, 2026
- Episode 6, streaming June 5, 2026
- Episode 7, streaming TBA 2026
- Episode 8, streaming TBA 2026
- Episode 9, streaming TBA 2026
- Episode 10, streaming TBA 2026
- Episode 11, streaming TBA 2026
- Episode 12, streaming TBA 2026
‘Rivals' Season 2 Cast
Alex Hassell reprises his role as Rupert Campbell-Black alongside David Tennant as Lord Baddingham. Aidan Turner, meanwhile, plays BBC journalist Declan O’Hara. Here’s the core cast for "Rivals" Season 2.
- David Tennant as Tony, Lord Baddingham
- Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black
- Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara
- Victoria Smurfit as Maud O’Hara
- Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook
- Bella Maclean as Agatha "Taggie" O’Hara
- Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker
- Oliver Chris as James Vereker
- Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
- Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones
- Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton
- Rufus Jones as Paul Stratton
- Claire Rushbrook as Monica, Lady Baddingham
- Luke Pasqualino as Basil "Bas" Baddingham
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 5:32 PM.