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. Eliza Mellor (The Midwich Cuckoos, Behind Her Eyes, Poldark) serves as Series Producer.

In addition to Treadwell-Collins and Wade, the series writers room also includes Sophie Goodhart (The Baby, Sex Education), Marek Horn, Mimi Hare & Clare Naylor (The Accidental Husband), Dare Aiyegbayo (The Dumping Ground, EastEnders), Kefi Chadwick (Looted, Avoidance), Tray Agyeman, and Sorcha Kurien Walsh (The Pink Pill).

Jilly Cooper added: “I am so, so excited. Throughout my childhood, my favorite word was ‘Disney’, and by a miraculous coincidence, greater-than-ever Disney are joining forces with an utterly brilliant drama company, Happy Prince, to turn my novel into a TV series. I know they will bring the boardroom battles and love triangles of my characters to life – particularly those of my devastatingly handsome hero. I cannot wait to see who will be stepping into his shoes…let the hunt for our Rupert Campbell-Black commence!”

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