Rivals will return with new episodes this winter, and Disney+ has now confirmed the start date of series 2 part 2, while also teasing what fans can expect from the final six episodes.
It is the news Rivals fans have been desperate to hear following the truly devastating mid-season cliffhanger at the end of episode 6. It is the first time the Jilly Cooper adaptation has been split into two parts, leaving us waiting for the rest of the story.
The decision has not gone down brilliantly with everyone, but there is no denying it has left us gagging for those final six episodes. Here’s everything we know…
***Warning: spoilers from the ending of Rivals series 2 episode 6 ahead***
Rivals series 2 part 2 returning this November
Part two of Rivals series 2 brings back the full cast as “affairs, alliances and rivalries reach new heights”. There will also be some classic Cooperverse moments, including a Hunt Ball, a chaotic Bonfire Night and a Christmas Party.
But beneath all that festive and hedonistic fun, the characters will still be reeling from the shocking events of episode 6.
Rivals killed off Monica Baddingham in heartbreaking scenes at the end of the episode. And Tony has blood on his hands. He did not kill his wife, but his affair with Maud O’Hara was the reason Monica drove into a dangerous storm.
After discovering that Tony was having an affair with Maud, something inside Monica finally snapped. But it also gave her the courage to walk away from her husband. We were all cheering when she finally told him exactly what she thought.
Sadly, the joy did not last long. Monica got into her car intending to tell Declan about his wife Maud’s affair. Tragically, she never reached the O’Hara household. A tree fell onto her car during the storm, killing her instantly.
Monica was Tony’s rock, so a grieving Tony is likely to be a very dangerous Tony indeed. He has nothing left to lose.
As Disney+ puts it: “The stakes have never been higher.”
The confirmed start date of Rivals series 2 part 2 and release schedule
Rivals series 2 will continue with part 2 on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, with episodes generally dropping at 8am.
That means UK fans can settle in for a three-episode premiere on that date, before the remaining episodes arrive on consecutive Wednesdays.
- Rivals series 2 part 2 episodes 6, 7, and 8 will stream from Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
- Episode 9 will be released on Wednesday, November 18.
- Episode 10 will follow on Wednesday, November 25.
- The penultimate episode, episode 11, is expected to land on Wednesday, December 02, 2026.
- Finally, the series 2 finale will land on Disney+ on Wednesday, December 09, 2026.
All episodes of season 1 and the first six episodes of season 2 are available to stream now on Disney+.
How many episodes is part 2?
The critically acclaimed series 2 will return with six brand new episodes, each running for 60 minutes.
Rivals season 2 is already different from its first run in 2024. For starters, it is a longer series, with 12 episodes instead of eight. A spokesperson for Disney+ told us: “The drama returns with an extended season of 12 episodes – and even more wit, desire, and dramatic twists.”
The first season of the hit Jilly Cooper adaptation debuted in October 2024, with every episode available to stream at once. This time, the show is doing things differently, with season 2 split into two batches of six episodes.
The first six arrived in May 2026, beginning with a three-episode premiere. Now the second batch is set to arrive in November.
What is the plot of episodes 7 and beyond?
The trailer for Rivals’ return has already teased five game-changing revelations, including the growing relationship between Bas and Taggie and the arrival of Monica’s sister.
Disney+ tell us: “As Tony Baddingham and Declan O’Hara’s contest for the Cotswolds crown hits a fever pitch, Rupert Campbell-Black is forced to confront his own personal demons.
“Against a backdrop of hedonistic parties, Bonfire Night chaos, the Hampshire Hunt Ball and a turbulent Christmas, affairs unravel, alliances fracture and rivalries intensify. Caught in the middle of the frenzied franchise battle, Taggie O’Hara must find the courage to follow her heart while everyone else faces the consequences of ambition, power and secrets that they can no longer hide.”
The new episodes will also bring some fresh faces to the Cotswolds. Rachael Stirling joins the cast as Araminta Pemberton, Lady Monica Baddingham’s vampish younger sister. Gone’s Rupert Evans will play erudite headmaster David Hawkley, while Big Little Lies’ Santiago Cabrera joins as Argentinian Polo legend Alejandro Mendoza.