13 Steamy Secrets From The Set Of Rivals

Rivals is back! As we return to Rutshire the stakes are higher than ever, the sex steamier and the costumes even more outrageous. While our characters may be dealing with death, deceit and tragedy on screen, there’s plenty of fun to be had inbetween. And as anyone who’s ever watched an interview with the cast of Rivals (see our own here) can tell you, there’s no job in television more fun. So what exactly are the cast and crew getting up to behind the scenes? Well, we did some digging. Here are 13 Rivals secrets from the show.

Rivals Secrets: Behind The Scenes On Jilly Cooper’s Hit Show

Declan in Rivals season 2 part 2. © Disney

It Was Actually Filmed In & Around The Cotswolds

Where most productions are filmed far from where they’re actually set, Rivals was actually filmed in and around the Cotswolds, where the fictional town of Rutshire is said to be located. The crew used real properties in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, alongside a nearby sound stage at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, Bristol. The quintessential Cotswold town of Tetbury, meanwhile, stood in for the fictional Cotchester, while The Falconry (home to the Baddinghams) was filmed near the Wiltshire town of Corsham at the Grade II* listed Neston Park. Discover the rest of the Rivals filming locations here. 

There Is A Christian Retreat Hosted At Penscombe

Penscombe, the fictional home of sex god Rupert Campbell-Black, is played by Ammerdown House in Kilmersdon, Somerset. Built in 1788, the Grade I listed house is occupied by Lord Hylton and his wife, as well as his eldest son and his family. Since the 1970s, the estate has operated as a Christian retreat centre helmed by Lord Hylton, offering 40 en suite bedrooms for up to 68 guests at a time.

Aidan Turner as Declan O’Hara in Rivals. © Disney

Poldark Was Also Filmed In The Priory

Die-hard Aidan Turner fans may recognise The Priory, home to his character Declan O’Hara from a previous project of his. Chavenage House in Tetbury, where the O’Hara family home is filmed, also served as Trenwith, the ancestral home of the Poldark family in the hit BBC series. The 500-year-old Elizabethan manor has previously starred in Wolf Hall, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Agatha Christie’s The Pale Horse.

There’s An Aidan Turner Shrine In The Bathroom

In honour of Aidan Turner’s Poldark days, a shrine to the star has been constructed in the O’Hara household – and in the women’s bathroom in all places. As Victoria Smurfit (Maud O’Hara) confirmed during our interview with the cast: ‘You get to pee and look at his face. It’s so strange.’ Meanwhile, in the men’s there’s a sign that reads ‘Poldark peed here’. 

Freddie & Valerie’s Home Is The Most Expensive House In Wales

The name of Freddie and Valerie’s home is pretty literal: the phrase ‘Bella Vista’ simply means ‘nice view’ in Italian. And if you want a nice view of your own, now’s your chance as their on-screen home is currently up for sale. Though that wild pool party was filmed elsewhere, the 24,000 sqft property does boast seven en-suite bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a yoga studio, an orangery, tennis court, bar, two home offices, a lift, 24 acres of grounds and a fittingly phallic hedge (which surprisingly pre-existed the Rivals crew). When the property hit the market in early 2026 it was listed for £8m, making it the most expensive home in Wales. It seems, however, that they’ve since struggled to sell, as the price has now dropped down to £6.5m.

Paul & Sarah Stratton’s House Is Full Of Lemons

Everyone’s favourite chaotic couple, Paul and Sarah Stratton are perhaps more well-known for their relationship drama rather than their home decor – but make sure to pay attention, says production designer Dominic Hyman: there’s a theme.

Recalling the now-famous kitchen montage from season 2, Hyman said that he ‘wanted the Stratton kitchen to feel more like something out of a catalogue, as if Sarah had this idea of blue scumble glazed walls like the Mediterranean, Casa Pupo china lemons (very 80s), and yellow drapes just to hit off the blue perfectly.’ The lemons, he added, were an important design note for the Strattons – and we should expect more of them in the future.

Will Taggie finally follow her heart in part two? © Disney

A Lot Of The Costumes Were Vintage Or Vintage Replicas

One of the best bits about Rivals (besides the drama)? The costumes. The team behind the show told C&TH they had great fun delving back into the 1980s to create the characters’ looks, with costume designer Ray Holman drawing on his personal collection of magazines from the decade – ‘The Face, Vogue, Country Living,’ – and collaborating with ‘a lot of vintage suppliers, vintage shops and costume hirers’.

‘[They] helped give us period-accurate ideas,’ he tells C&TH. ‘Sometimes I’d go to a vintage shop or an individual vintage trader, and I’d just take lots of pictures of what they had available. And then these would go on the mood board for certain characters.’

Holman also worked closely with a number of British heritage brands, like Burberry, Mulberry, Dunhill and Corgi, who welcomed the designer into their archives and lent him pieces and design sheets (so that the team could remake certain items) to help give the show its period accuracy. 

Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara in Rivals season 2. © Disney

Many Of Taggie’s Outfits Are Modelled After Sarah From Labyrinth 

Plenty of women – both real and fictional – made it onto the mood board when costume designer Ray Holman was planning out Taggie’s wardrobe. But one character in particular struck a chord with the design team specifically: Sarah, from the 1986 film Labyrinth. The film, which released in theatres the year before season 2 of Rivals is set, follows teenager Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) as she navigates the magical maze created by the Goblin King (David Bowie) to rescue her infant stepbrother, Toby.

Sarah’s wardrobe is part Medieval whimsy, part modern adventurer: a poet blouse and brocade waistcoat thrown over jeans and boots. Sarah, who’s on her own quest to find herself and enter maturity, was a top contender for the Rivals team when designing Taggie. ‘When we were all talking about Taggie originally, for series one, Sarah was on the mood boards,’ remembers Holman. ‘Alex Lamb [Executive Producer] said, “I really like that look for Taggie.” She doesn’t always wear it, but in the second half of season 2 I’ve dressed her in this look. And two of the waistcoats are originals from 1987. So yes, her look is definitely based on that character – she’s definitely part of Taggie.’

Alex Hasell as Rupert in Rivals season 2 part 2. © Disney

Helen Was Originally Played By A Different Actress

The former wife of Rupert Campbell-Black, Helen Gordon is uptight, American and effortlessly glam. Played by Hayley Atwell, fans of the show may have noted that Rupert’s ex-wife looked rather different in her season 1 cameo. She was originally played by Anastasia Griffith who we see on the other end of a phone call as she warns Rupert away from their children. In season 2 the producers wanted to expand the role by drawing on other books in The Rutshire Chronicles. Looking to appeal to American audiences and pull in a bigger star, they landed on Atwell.

The Theme Tune Is Inspired By A Musical Orgasm

The Rivals theme tune is instantly recognisable; it’s rare that the soundtrack so perfectly encapsulates the show as this one does. Composed by Natalie Holt and Jack Halama, the goal was to create the ‘musical version of an orgasm.’ Natalie told the BBC: ‘The tango felt like the perfect push and pull between lovers, or people having an affair. Then we’ve got this orgasming opera singer over the top.’

Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton and Oliver Chris as James Vereker in Rivals season 2. © Disney

That Dinner Party Scene Was Filmed All In One Take

Remember that iconic dinner party from season 2 part 1? You know the one where Sarah Stratton secretly hires Taggie to cater, resulting in much shoving in cupboards, whispered conversations, and mad mistakes. Despite the seeming chaos of it all, the 10-minute scene was, miraculously, shot in just one take. 

The Twins Aren’t Actual Twins

Dommie and Sebbie Carlisle (taken from Cooper’s third Rutshire Chronicles novel, Polo) first graced our screens in season 2 part 1. Well, it turns out that the blonde, toned polo twins aren’t twins. In fact, they’re not even related. In reality, they’re portrayed by Bobby Lockwood and Maxim Ays.

Freddie and Lizzie in Rivals season 2 part 2. © Disney

There’s Some Starry Cameos

It seems everybody wants to be a part of Rivals – so much so that Rupert Everett (Malise Gordon) and Hayley Atwell (Helen) apparently begged to be involved. As a result, we get quite a lot of fun on-screen cameos.

Actress Pam St. Clement (famous for playing Pat Butcher in EastEnders) made a surprise appearance in season 2 part 1, where we see her encounter a stark-naked Declan after a steamy hotel room clash and ask if that was Terry Wogan. Then there’s Dame Jilly Cooper herself, who we see listening in (and rather enjoying) Lizzie’s synopsis of her new steamy romance novel in season 1.

Jilly was a big advocate for the show during her lifetime, visiting the set, approving all the scripts, and hosting parties for the cast at her home in the Cotswolds. The cast were even greeted to a right royal visit from Jilly Cooper’s friend and fan, Queen Camilla, who visited the set to honor the legacy of her late friend who passed away on 5 October 2025.

Rivals season 2 part 2 is out now on Disney+