David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham in Rivals(Image: Disney+)

When Rivals is coming out and how to watch the David Tennant drama

David Tennant and Poldark's Aidan Turner front the 'bold and naughty' new series based on Dame Jilly Cooper's novel

16 Oct 2024, 09:23 by Jake Hackney · The Mirror

David Tennant stars in steamy new 80s-set drama, Rivals. Launching later this month, the eight-part series is based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name and is chock full of ‘romantic entanglements, dastardly deals, sex and wit’.

As per the official synopsis, Rivals is set against the backdrop of the drama, excess and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, delving headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986, where hair-dos are big and ambitions are even bigger. Deals are brokered in boardrooms, as well as bedrooms, but nobody can be sure who will come out on top with every man and woman out only for themselves.

The series boasts a stacked ensemble cast including The Boys star Alex Hassell as charismatic ex-Olympian and Member of Parliament Rupert Campbell-Black, with Tennant starring as Lord Tony Baddingham, controller of Corinium Television and Rupert’s single-mindedly ambitious and egotistical adversary. They appear alongside Poldark star Aidan Turner as journalist and TV presenter Declan O’Hara, who becomes caught in the crossfire of the long-simmering feud between Rupert and Tony.

Also starring are Bella Maclean, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer, with Katherine Parkinson, Nafessa Williams and Victoria Smurfit rounding out the cast. Speaking to Radio Times, Turner described Rivals as ‘bold, naughty’ and ‘a lot of fun’.

He said: “It’s a lot of fun. I went to a screening last week [and] people loved it. It’s bold and it’s naughty and it’s a lot of fun.” On working with Doctor Who star Tennant, he added: “It was great, David’s brilliant – he’s a real pro. It was a lot of fun to do.”

Poldark's Aidan Turner stars as TV presenter Declan O'Hara

Here’s when Rivals is released and how to watch it in the UK.

When is Rivals coming out?

Rivals will premiere Friday, October 18, with every episode available from launch.

Disney+

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Disney+ now costs as little as £4.99 a month, but members can get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying for a year upfront on the ad-free Standard or Premium plans.

Disney+ is the only place to stream hit shows like The Bear and Shōgun, plus blockbuster franchises like Star Wars and Marvel.

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How to watch Rivals in the UK

Rivals is available to stream exclusively on Disney+, which fans can join from £4.99 a month for the Standard with Ads plan. Members can save £15.98 by paying for a year up front on the Standard plan for £79.90, locking in the current rate by signing up before October 17.

Signing up for the annual plan before the deadline gives members 12 months for the price of 10 and secures the current rate for a whole year. For those looking for a bigger saving, a 12-month subscription to the Premium plan now costs £109.90 – saving £21.98 compared to paying monthly – and includes higher video quality up to 4K UHD and HDR, plus the ability to stream on four devices simultaneously.

A Disney+ membership also includes hit shows and films like Only Murders in the Building, The Bear and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, plus countless titles from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises. Elsewhere, telly fans can stream a host of new and upcoming films and shows on Amazon’s Prime Video completely free with a 30-day free trial.