5 min readThe hotly-anticipated new television adaptation of Jilly Cooper's steamy 1988 novel Rivals comes to Disney+ in the UK on 18 October 2024.
The series revolves around the tense rivalry of two powerful men in the British television industry of the 1980s, with stars Alex Hassell and David Tennant playing the leads. Shooting for much of the series took place in Bristol last year, both on location across the city assisted by Bristol Film Office, and at The Bottle Yard Studios.
Image: Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black in Rivals
Rivals follows the feud between ex-Olympian Conservative Party politician Rupert Campbell-Black (Hassell) and his single-mindedly ambitious neighbour Lord Tony Baddingham (Tennant), the egotistical controller of Corinium Television. Drama, romance, and scandal ensue as the titular rivals lock horns over Corinium's future, pulling those around them into the crossfire whether they like it or not. Particularly notable among the latter is Corinium TV presenter Declan O'Hara, played by Poldark star Aidan Turner, who is determined to get his revenge on Baddingham for failing to deliver on his promises when trying to woo O'Hara to Corinium from the BBC.
Image: David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham in Rivals
Watch the series trailer here:
Tennant and Turner are no strangers to Bristol. The former visited the city centre in 2022 to film scenes for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials with co-star Catherine Tate, while the latter's work on Poldark took him both to The Bottle Yard Studios and locations across the city between 2015 and 2019.
Image: Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara in Rivals
The series also stars Luke Pasqualino, another actor well-acquainted with Bristol thanks to his role in the teen drama Skins, which was set and filmed in the city.
Other cast members include EastEnders favourite Danny Dyer, as well as Victoria Smurfit (‘Bloodlands’, ‘Once Upon A Time’), Bella Maclean (‘Spring Awakening’, ‘Sex Education’), Catriona Chandler (‘Pistol’, ‘Enola Holmes 2’), Nafessa Williams (‘Black Lighting’, ‘Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody’), Katherine Parkinson (‘Humans’, ‘Here We Go’), Oliver Chris (‘The Crown’, ‘Trying’), Lisa McGrillis (‘Maternal’, ‘Mum’), Claire Rushbrook (‘Sherwood’, ‘Ali and Ava’), Emily Atack (‘The Emily Atack Show, ‘The Inbetweeners’), and Rufus Jones (‘W1A’, ‘Home’).
Image: Oliver Chris as James Vereker and Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton in Rivals
Rivals filming locations in Bristol
Made by Happy Prince, the team behind the series based production at The Bottle Yard Studios' brand new 'TBY2' studio space, making Rivals the very first series to use the state-of-the-art facility. While the studio was used for shooting interior scenes, the cast and crew also headed out to film on location at some of the city's distinctive districts, attractions, and restaurants, thanks to Bristol Film Office.
Corn Street, Old City
The scenic thoroughfare through Bristol's historic Old City formed the backdrop for a scene set at a glamourous red-carpet television awards ceremony, with the Harbour Hotel serving as the awards venue. Stars Aidan Turner, David Tennant, Katherine Parkinson, Alex Hassell, and Emily Atack were all spotted wearing black-tie suits and dresses, alongside a 1980s-era BBC camera car and luxury vehicles.
Get a sneak peek of the filming on Corn Street below:
Aerospace Bristol
Set in the north of the city, this award-winning museum tells the fascinating story of Bristol's numerous achievements in aviation, including its key role in the development of Concorde. The site is also home to the last Concorde to fly, Alpha Foxtrot, which was used for filming scenes set aboard the legendary supersonic airliner.
Why not treat yourself to Aerospace Bristol's Concorde Experience gift package for two, giving you exclusive access to the jet after hours? Live like first-class Concorde passengers in the 1980s with champagne in the front-row seats, and learn about the plane's remarkable history from an expert host. You'll also enjoy complimentary museum admission for a year, allowing you to revisit as much as you'd like.
Image: Aerospace Bristol, credit Adam Gasson
Queen Square
One of Bristol's best-known parks, this magnificent Georgian square forms a peaceful green oasis between the bustling city centre and Harbourside area, making it a popular spot for Bristolians to relax, play, eat and drink.
The production team transformed one side of the square into the fictional 'Russet Street' in London, adding fake road signs and newspaper stands, to film scenes featuring Danny Dyer's character Freddie Jones. During the shoot, Dyer drove a Sinclair C5, an infamous electric tricycle created in the 1980s.
Image: Queen Square
Other Bristol filming locations
Additional filming for the series took place at Cosy Club, also based on Corn Street, just steps away from the Harbour Hotel. The relaxed all-day restaurant and bar is set within the majestic surroundings of a former banking hall designed by Bristolian architect W.B. Gingell in 1864, and prides itself on offering delicious dishes and top-notch tipples.
Image: Cosy Club Bristol
All eight episodes of Rivals will be available to stream on Disney+ in the UK and worldwide from Friday 18 October 2024.
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All images credit: Disney+
