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RIVALS Season 2 trailer

Aidan Turner

February 4, 2026

RIVALS Season 2 trailer

Disney+ has just dropped a provocative new trailer for RIVALS, billing the drama series as “the naughtiest show on television,” and if the first season was any indication, that’s not mere marketing hyperbole. The show brings back its formidable ensemble from season one, including David Tennant, Danny Dyer, Aidan Turner, Katherine Parkinson, and Emily Atack, alongside Alex Hassell, who emerged as one of the breakout performers last time around. Fresh blood arrives in the form of Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett, promising to shake up an already volatile mix.

At the heart of season two lies an intensifying battle for the Central South West television franchise, with the war between Corinium and Venturer escalating into genuinely dangerous territory. Tony Baddingham, played with delicious menace by Tennant, has shed whatever restraint he might have possessed and now operates as a ruthlessly efficient destroyer, methodically dismantling his competition through weaponized scandal and psychological manipulation of anyone foolish enough to stand close to him. The season arrives under bittersweet circumstances, following the death of Jilly Cooper, the novelist behind the original source material who served as executive producer on the first season. Tributes poured in from across the entertainment world, and her friend Queen Camilla even visited the set during production of season two, a touching acknowledgment of Cooper’s cultural significance.

The second season of RIVALS, which exists in that curious streaming ecosystem as a Hulu original in the United States while airing on Disney+ internationally, launches May 15 and will roll out in two six-episode batches, giving viewers just enough time to recover between bouts of backstabbing, bedroom antics, and boardroom warfare.

DERRY GIRLS darling @nicolacoughlan returns to our TVs in I AM HELEN.

This critically acclaimed BAFTA-winning anthology series pairs Coughlan with PEAKY BLINDERS star Joe Cole!

Watch new trailer now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 1

DERRY GIRLS darling @nicolacoughlan returns to our TVs in I AM HELEN.

This critically acclaimed BAFTA-winning anthology series pairs Coughlan with PEAKY BLINDERS star Joe Cole!

Watch new trailer now via 🔗︎ in bio!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18086382485686877

BROOKLYN fans, this one is for you 🎬

Caitríona Balfe is back in a Colm Tóibín adaptation, and A LONG WINTER lands in cinemas this January 2027. Based on Tóibín’s 2006 short story, the film casts Caitríona as Louise, a mother at the heart of a stark, emotional drama.

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

128 1

BROOKLYN fans, this one is for you 🎬

Caitríona Balfe is back in a Colm Tóibín adaptation, and A LONG WINTER lands in cinemas this January 2027. Based on Tóibín’s 2006 short story, the film casts Caitríona as Louise, a mother at the heart of a stark, emotional drama.

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18129733114885541

Mayo`s own @philippa.dunne is pure joy!

On this week`s @latelaterte, Philippa shares childhood memories of growing up in Mayo that shaped her, and what it’s really like to bring unforgettable characters to life on screen.

If you love Irish screen stories told by the people who live them, watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

9 1

Mayo's own @philippa.dunne is pure joy!

On this week's @latelaterte, Philippa shares childhood memories of growing up in Mayo that shaped her, and what it’s really like to bring unforgettable characters to life on screen.

If you love Irish screen stories told by the people who live them, watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17885498745623880

Everyone`s favourite Andrew returns to the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival with his new film ELSINORE.

Few actors of the stage and screen have attracted as much acclaim in recent years as Andrew Scott, both for the emotional depth of his performances and for the subtlety and nuance he brings to them.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

25 3

Everyone's favourite Andrew returns to the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival with his new film ELSINORE.

Few actors of the stage and screen have attracted as much acclaim in recent years as Andrew Scott, both for the emotional depth of his performances and for the subtlety and nuance he brings to them.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18115774631086725

Like father, like son!

Aran Murphy is following in his father Cillian`s footsteps with a major role in the new @sharonhorgan show YOUTH.

The 19-year-old is relatively new to the acting world but has had a very busy few months as of late, stepping out on red carpets and giving plenty of interviews for his first roles.

Let`s hear it for Ireland`s next wave of amazing acting talent!

29 1

Like father, like son!

Aran Murphy is following in his father Cillian's footsteps with a major role in the new @sharonhorgan show YOUTH.

The 19-year-old is relatively new to the acting world but has had a very busy few months as of late, stepping out on red carpets and giving plenty of interviews for his first roles.

Let's hear it for Ireland's next wave of amazing acting talent!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17934858606144019

Colin Farrell hit the @thegrahamnortonshowofficial couch this weekend!

Farrell reveals a new haircut (!) and how he was initially reluctant to take accept his role in the classic IN BRUGES.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 2

Colin Farrell hit the @thegrahamnortonshowofficial couch this weekend!

Farrell reveals a new haircut (!) and how he was initially reluctant to take accept his role in the classic IN BRUGES.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18074690222754684

One question that has haunted Ireland for decades ⚖️

In RE-CREATION, the new film from Jim Sheridan, the story is built on the real 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, and Colm Meaney never hands you a verdict. The veteran actor trusts you to argue it out yourself 🎬

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

One question that has haunted Ireland for decades ⚖️

In RE-CREATION, the new film from Jim Sheridan, the story is built on the real 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, and Colm Meaney never hands you a verdict. The veteran actor trusts you to argue it out yourself 🎬

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17996734350047798

“This is the Ireland I always believed existed.”

July 13, 1985. Two stadiums. One mission. Queen, U2, Bowie, Elton John, Madonna, McCartney, all on one day to fight famine in Ethiopia. And five Irish women who wanted to donate their wedding rings!

More details of Bob Geldof`s LATE LATE SHOW appearance via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

“This is the Ireland I always believed existed.”

July 13, 1985. Two stadiums. One mission. Queen, U2, Bowie, Elton John, Madonna, McCartney, all on one day to fight famine in Ethiopia. And five Irish women who wanted to donate their wedding rings!

More details of Bob Geldof's LATE LATE SHOW appearance via 🔗︎ in bio!

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17894918700611323

Let’s hear it for Jamie Dornan 👏

He’s back as an American career criminal, always one step ahead, in 12 12 12 on Apple TV, going toe to toe with Anthony Mackie in a cat-and-mouse game across Europe. And this time he’s also an executive producer, helping shape the story as well as starring in it.

NEW trailer via 🔗︎ in bio!

994 31

Let’s hear it for Jamie Dornan 👏

He’s back as an American career criminal, always one step ahead, in 12 12 12 on Apple TV, going toe to toe with Anthony Mackie in a cat-and-mouse game across Europe. And this time he’s also an executive producer, helping shape the story as well as starring in it.

NEW trailer via 🔗︎ in bio!

February 4, 2026

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18073230662767459

Aidan Turner in LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

In the world of high society, where fortunes are made on whispered rumors and reputations crumble over tea, there exists a particular kind of power that has nothing to do with armies or titles. It’s the power of the pen, the cutting word, the strategic maneuver executed not on battlefields but in drawing rooms. This is the lethal territory of DANGEROUS LIAISONS, the celebrated adaptation by Christopher Hampton of Choderlos de Laclos’ incendiary 18th-century novel, now receiving a striking new production directed by Marianne Elliott at London’s Donmar Warehouse.

For Aidan Turner, the Irish actor who has spent recent years building a formidable career across television and stage, this production represents a particularly charged moment. Following his scene-stealing turn as the rakish Declan O’Hara in the wildly popular series RIVALS, Turner steps into the silk stockings of the Vicomte de Valmont, one of literature’s most notorious libertines. It’s a role that demands everything Turner has proven he can deliver in recent work: charisma that borders on dangerous, intelligence that cuts like glass, and the ability to make moral corruption look devastatingly attractive.

For Turner, taking on Valmont after his breakthrough in RIVALS feels like a natural progression rather than a departure. While Declan O’Hara was all rumpled charm and righteous fury, Valmont requires a different kind of magnetism, one more calculated and predatory. The character exists in that fascinating space where intelligence becomes its own form of seduction, where the ability to read people and manipulate their desires transforms into an art form. Turner has spent his recent career proving he can inhabit these morally complex figures without asking for our approval, and Valmont is the ultimate test of that particular skill.

Elliott’s production arrives at a moment when audiences seem particularly hungry for stories about power, corruption, and the systems that enable both. The director, celebrated for her work on ANGELS IN AMERICA and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, brings a precision and intelligence to theatrical storytelling that should serve this material beautifully. With Manville and Turner as her weapons of choice, she has actors capable of making us complicit in their characters’ crimes, of forcing us to recognize the seductive appeal of wielding influence without conscience.

Turner’s recent trajectory suggests an actor unafraid of darkness, willing to explore what happens when charm curdles into cruelty. From the swashbuckling Captain Ross Poldark to the more layered, morally ambiguous figures of his recent work, he’s demonstrated range while maintaining that essential quality all great actors possess: we can’t look away. Valmont demands we watch even as we’re appalled, that we understand his appeal even as we recognize his monstrousness. It’s a tightrope walk between seduction and revulsion, and based on Turner’s recent performances, he has the balance to pull it off.

DERRY GIRLS darling @nicolacoughlan returns to our TVs in I AM HELEN.

This critically acclaimed BAFTA-winning anthology series pairs Coughlan with PEAKY BLINDERS star Joe Cole!

Watch new trailer now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18086382485686877

BROOKLYN fans, this one is for you 🎬

Caitríona Balfe is back in a Colm Tóibín adaptation, and A LONG WINTER lands in cinemas this January 2027. Based on Tóibín’s 2006 short story, the film casts Caitríona as Louise, a mother at the heart of a stark, emotional drama.

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

128 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18129733114885541

Mayo`s own @philippa.dunne is pure joy!

On this week`s @latelaterte, Philippa shares childhood memories of growing up in Mayo that shaped her, and what it’s really like to bring unforgettable characters to life on screen.

If you love Irish screen stories told by the people who live them, watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

9 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17885498745623880

Everyone`s favourite Andrew returns to the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival with his new film ELSINORE.

Few actors of the stage and screen have attracted as much acclaim in recent years as Andrew Scott, both for the emotional depth of his performances and for the subtlety and nuance he brings to them.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

25 3

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18115774631086725

Like father, like son!

Aran Murphy is following in his father Cillian`s footsteps with a major role in the new @sharonhorgan show YOUTH.

The 19-year-old is relatively new to the acting world but has had a very busy few months as of late, stepping out on red carpets and giving plenty of interviews for his first roles.

Let`s hear it for Ireland`s next wave of amazing acting talent!

29 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17934858606144019

Colin Farrell hit the @thegrahamnortonshowofficial couch this weekend!

Farrell reveals a new haircut (!) and how he was initially reluctant to take accept his role in the classic IN BRUGES.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 2

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18074690222754684

One question that has haunted Ireland for decades ⚖️

In RE-CREATION, the new film from Jim Sheridan, the story is built on the real 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, and Colm Meaney never hands you a verdict. The veteran actor trusts you to argue it out yourself 🎬

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17996734350047798

“This is the Ireland I always believed existed.”

July 13, 1985. Two stadiums. One mission. Queen, U2, Bowie, Elton John, Madonna, McCartney, all on one day to fight famine in Ethiopia. And five Irish women who wanted to donate their wedding rings!

More details of Bob Geldof`s LATE LATE SHOW appearance via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17894918700611323

Let’s hear it for Jamie Dornan 👏

He’s back as an American career criminal, always one step ahead, in 12 12 12 on Apple TV, going toe to toe with Anthony Mackie in a cat-and-mouse game across Europe. And this time he’s also an executive producer, helping shape the story as well as starring in it.

NEW trailer via 🔗︎ in bio!

994 31

January 27, 2026

Irish Theatre

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18073230662767459

RIVALS wins international Emmy

RIVALS wins International Emmy

The Disney+ period comedy-drama RIVALS has claimed the top honor at this year’s International Emmy Awards, taking home the prize for best drama series in a ceremony that celebrates television excellence from productions originating outside the United States.

The series, adapted from Jilly Cooper’s beloved bonkbuster novels, features Irish actors Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfit among an ensemble cast that includes David Tennant, Katherine Parkinson, and Danny Dyer. Set against the backdrop of the 1980s, RIVALS follows a group of wealthy media figures navigating ambition, rivalry, and scandal in an era of excess and transformation.

The show became an unexpected hit following its October 2024 release, captivating audiences with its sharp wit, sumptuous production design, and deliciously soapy storytelling. The series’ success has already secured its future, with a second season announced in August that will welcome Rupert Everett, known for MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING, and Hayley Atwell of AGENT CARTER into the fold. The International Emmy win solidifies RIVALS as a standout achievement in international television, proving that period drama with a contemporary edge can still capture the cultural zeitgeist and resonate with viewers hungry for glamorous escapism wrapped in biting social commentary.

DERRY GIRLS darling @nicolacoughlan returns to our TVs in I AM HELEN.

This critically acclaimed BAFTA-winning anthology series pairs Coughlan with PEAKY BLINDERS star Joe Cole!

Watch new trailer now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18086382485686877

BROOKLYN fans, this one is for you 🎬

Caitríona Balfe is back in a Colm Tóibín adaptation, and A LONG WINTER lands in cinemas this January 2027. Based on Tóibín’s 2006 short story, the film casts Caitríona as Louise, a mother at the heart of a stark, emotional drama.

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

128 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18129733114885541

Mayo`s own @philippa.dunne is pure joy!

On this week`s @latelaterte, Philippa shares childhood memories of growing up in Mayo that shaped her, and what it’s really like to bring unforgettable characters to life on screen.

If you love Irish screen stories told by the people who live them, watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

9 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17885498745623880

Everyone`s favourite Andrew returns to the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival with his new film ELSINORE.

Few actors of the stage and screen have attracted as much acclaim in recent years as Andrew Scott, both for the emotional depth of his performances and for the subtlety and nuance he brings to them.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

25 3

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18115774631086725

Like father, like son!

Aran Murphy is following in his father Cillian`s footsteps with a major role in the new @sharonhorgan show YOUTH.

The 19-year-old is relatively new to the acting world but has had a very busy few months as of late, stepping out on red carpets and giving plenty of interviews for his first roles.

Let`s hear it for Ireland`s next wave of amazing acting talent!

29 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17934858606144019

Colin Farrell hit the @thegrahamnortonshowofficial couch this weekend!

Farrell reveals a new haircut (!) and how he was initially reluctant to take accept his role in the classic IN BRUGES.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 2

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18074690222754684

One question that has haunted Ireland for decades ⚖️

In RE-CREATION, the new film from Jim Sheridan, the story is built on the real 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, and Colm Meaney never hands you a verdict. The veteran actor trusts you to argue it out yourself 🎬

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17996734350047798

“This is the Ireland I always believed existed.”

July 13, 1985. Two stadiums. One mission. Queen, U2, Bowie, Elton John, Madonna, McCartney, all on one day to fight famine in Ethiopia. And five Irish women who wanted to donate their wedding rings!

More details of Bob Geldof`s LATE LATE SHOW appearance via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17894918700611323

Let’s hear it for Jamie Dornan 👏

He’s back as an American career criminal, always one step ahead, in 12 12 12 on Apple TV, going toe to toe with Anthony Mackie in a cat-and-mouse game across Europe. And this time he’s also an executive producer, helping shape the story as well as starring in it.

NEW trailer via 🔗︎ in bio!

994 31

December 1, 2025

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RIVALS Season Two coming to Disney+

The champagne corks are popping in the Cotswolds as Disney+ officially greenlights RIVALS for a second season, with cameras already rolling as of May 2025. Jilly Cooper’s scandalous adaptation proved irresistible to viewers, transforming from a modest eight-episode debut into an expanded twelve-episode sophomore season that promises even more backstabbing, bedroom politics, and British upper-class debauchery.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the show’s breakout star. After years of bouncing between supporting roles in films like THE GENTLEMEN and television appearances that never quite captured the public imagination, this Cotswolds romp has become the career-defining moment that fans have been waiting for. The razor-sharp wit and aristocratic charm that made him a household name decades ago now feels perfectly calibrated for the ruthless world of 1980s British television, where power brokers circle like sharks in Savile Row suits.

Season one’s explosive finale left Lord Tony Baddingham’s fate hanging in the balance, while the simmering tension between Rupert Campbell Black and Taggie O’Hara reached a fever pitch that had viewers refreshing their Disney+ feeds for renewal news. The show’s success lies not just in its lavish period detail or the rolling hills of its countryside setting, but in how it captures the particular brand of cruelty that only the British elite can perfect, wrapped in enough sexual tension to steam up a Bentley’s windows.

The casting coup continues with Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett joining as Helen and Malise Gordon, adding fresh blood to an already intoxicating mix of ambition and betrayal. These aren’t mere additions to fill episode time; they’re strategic moves that promise to deepen the show’s exploration of how power corrupts and how the wealthy play games with other people’s lives as their favorite pastime.

What started as a nostalgic trip back to shoulder pads and excess has evolved into something more substantial, a meditation on class, privilege, and the particular way that British society packages its cruelties in good manners and better tailoring. The show understands that behind every perfectly manicured estate lies a web of secrets that could destroy reputations, marriages, and entire empires with a single well-placed whisper at the right dinner party.

With filming underway and an early 2026 release window taking shape, RIVALS has positioned itself as the prestige drama that doesn’t apologize for being entertaining, proving that sometimes the most revealing stories about power come wrapped in silk scarves and served with a perfectly chilled glass of champagne. The second season won’t just continue where the first left off; it will dig deeper into the moral quicksand that lies beneath every perfectly pruned hedge in this glittering world where everyone has something to hide.

DERRY GIRLS darling @nicolacoughlan returns to our TVs in I AM HELEN.

This critically acclaimed BAFTA-winning anthology series pairs Coughlan with PEAKY BLINDERS star Joe Cole!

Watch new trailer now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18086382485686877

BROOKLYN fans, this one is for you 🎬

Caitríona Balfe is back in a Colm Tóibín adaptation, and A LONG WINTER lands in cinemas this January 2027. Based on Tóibín’s 2006 short story, the film casts Caitríona as Louise, a mother at the heart of a stark, emotional drama.

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

128 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18129733114885541

Mayo`s own @philippa.dunne is pure joy!

On this week`s @latelaterte, Philippa shares childhood memories of growing up in Mayo that shaped her, and what it’s really like to bring unforgettable characters to life on screen.

If you love Irish screen stories told by the people who live them, watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

9 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17885498745623880

Everyone`s favourite Andrew returns to the @britishfilminstitute London Film Festival with his new film ELSINORE.

Few actors of the stage and screen have attracted as much acclaim in recent years as Andrew Scott, both for the emotional depth of his performances and for the subtlety and nuance he brings to them.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

25 3

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18115774631086725

Like father, like son!

Aran Murphy is following in his father Cillian`s footsteps with a major role in the new @sharonhorgan show YOUTH.

The 19-year-old is relatively new to the acting world but has had a very busy few months as of late, stepping out on red carpets and giving plenty of interviews for his first roles.

Let`s hear it for Ireland`s next wave of amazing acting talent!

29 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17934858606144019

Colin Farrell hit the @thegrahamnortonshowofficial couch this weekend!

Farrell reveals a new haircut (!) and how he was initially reluctant to take accept his role in the classic IN BRUGES.

Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!

18 2

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 18074690222754684

One question that has haunted Ireland for decades ⚖️

In RE-CREATION, the new film from Jim Sheridan, the story is built on the real 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier, and Colm Meaney never hands you a verdict. The veteran actor trusts you to argue it out yourself 🎬

More details via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17996734350047798

“This is the Ireland I always believed existed.”

July 13, 1985. Two stadiums. One mission. Queen, U2, Bowie, Elton John, Madonna, McCartney, all on one day to fight famine in Ethiopia. And five Irish women who wanted to donate their wedding rings!

More details of Bob Geldof`s LATE LATE SHOW appearance via 🔗︎ in bio!

8 1

Open post by irish_film_tv with ID 17894918700611323

Let’s hear it for Jamie Dornan 👏

He’s back as an American career criminal, always one step ahead, in 12 12 12 on Apple TV, going toe to toe with Anthony Mackie in a cat-and-mouse game across Europe. And this time he’s also an executive producer, helping shape the story as well as starring in it.

NEW trailer via 🔗︎ in bio!

994 31

September 2, 2025

Aidan Turner returns in RIVALS Season Two

Cameras are rolling once again in Rutshire as RIVALS season 2 officially begins production, and Disney+ has given fans their first tantalizing glimpse behind the scenes with newly released images that showcase the stellar cast diving back into Dame Jilly Cooper’s world of scandal, ambition, and sexual intrigue.

The production photos, shared across Disney’s social media channels, capture the energy and anticipation surrounding the show’s return, with Aidan Turner prominently featured alongside Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, and newcomer Bella Maclean. Turner’s presence in these behind-the-scenes glimpses signals his continued central role in what promises to be an even more explosive installment of the power-hungry drama that took audiences by storm.

The returning ensemble cast reads like a who’s who of British television talent, with Aidan Turner’s return being particularly significant for fans who have followed his career trajectory from BEING HUMAN to POLDARK and now to RIVALS. Turner, who has established himself as one of Britain’s most compelling leading men, brings his trademark intensity and charisma to the morally complex world of 1980s power plays. His presence alongside David Tennant, Katherine Parkinson, Alex Hassell, and Nafessa Williams ensures continuity in the intricate web of relationships that drive the narrative. Turner’s ability to navigate both romantic tension and political intrigue made him a standout in the first season, and his prominent placement in the new behind-the-scenes imagery suggests his character will continue to be at the heart of the show’s most compelling storylines.

RIVALS season 1 is available to stream on Disney+.

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May 23, 2025

Aidan Turner in LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES

In a significant theatrical announcement, Aidan Turner will star alongside Lesley Manville and Monica Barbaro in an eagerly anticipated revival of LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES at London’s National Theatre. This marks the first time Christopher Hampton’s celebrated adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ scandalous novel will grace the National’s stage, with performances expected to begin in spring 2026.

The production reunites acclaimed director Marianne Elliott with the venue after a nine-year absence, forming a centerpiece of Indhu Rubasingham’s inaugural season as Artistic Director. For Turner, this role represents another prestigious addition to a career that has evolved dramatically since his breakout in POLDARK. The Irish actor has strategically balanced his screen work with challenging stage performances, including his critically lauded turn in Martin McDonagh’s THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE.

Turner will share the stage with BAFTA and Olivier Award-winner Manville, who joins fresh from her triumphant, award-winning performance in OEDIPUS at Wyndham’s Theatre—a production now Broadway-bound. Completing the high-profile casting trio is Barbaro, known for her role in TOP GUN: MAVERICK. The creative team assembling around this production includes set designer Rosanna Vize, costume designer Natalie Roar, movement director Tom Jackson Greaves, lighting designer James Farncombe, and sound designer Ian Dickson.

Elliott’s return to the National, where her previous credits include ANGELS IN AMERICA, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, and co-direction of WAR HORSE, promises to bring fresh perspective to Hampton’s 1985 adaptation, known for its sharp wit, psychological complexity, and themes of manipulation and seduction. While exact dates, further casting details, and ticket information remain forthcoming, the production’s announcement as part of a 16-show season signals Rubasingham’s ambitious artistic vision for one of the world’s leading theatrical institutions.

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April 30, 2025

Irish Theatre

RIVALS renewed for 2nd Season

Disney+’s sultry period drama RIVALS has captivated audiences with its delicious blend of 1980s nostalgia and steamy storytelling, with confirmation of a second season sending fans into a frenzy. The adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s beloved 1988 novel has proven to be the “bonkbuster” of the year, aching with old-fashioned small screen sex appeal that viewers simply can’t get enough of.

At the heart of the series stands Aidan Turner as the dishy Irish TV presenter Declan O’Hara, who found himself entangled in the cutthroat world of independent television during the Thatcher era when recruited by the scheming Lord Baddingham, portrayed with delightful menace by David Tennant. Turner’s career renaissance continues with this role, following his critically acclaimed performances in POLDARK and LEONARDO, cementing his status as television’s go-to leading man for period dramas that combine substance with smoldering intensity.

The excitement for RIVALS‘ return recently amplified when series star Danny Dyer, who plays self-made businessman Freddie Jones, shared a promising production update during the Royal Television Society Programme Awards. “We’re on the eve of starting the second series,” Dyer revealed on March 25, humorously adding details about improvements to his character’s appearance: “The old ‘tache is on its way back. I’ve got a better wig which I’m excited about.” His co-star Katherine Parkinson echoed this enthusiasm, noting that with the second series, “[Dyer’s] had some more money spent on him.”

This production update follows executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins’ January confirmation that writing for the new season was officially underway, sharing a photo of himself with fellow producers posing alongside a cardboard cutout of Turner. While specific plot details remain scarce, fans can anticipate resolution to Tony’s fate—the only character whose storyline was left dangling at the first season’s conclusion.

Turner is expected to return alongside the impressive ensemble cast including Dyer, Parkinson, Tennant, Victoria Smurfit, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Claire Rushbrook, Emily Atack, Catriona Chandler, Oliver Chris, Rufus Jones, Lisa McGrillis, and Luke Pasqualino. Williams’ character, the glamorous American TV producer Cameron Cook, provided an intriguing foil to Turner’s O’Hara in the first season, with their initial antagonism developing into a more complex dynamic.

Dame Jilly Cooper herself, serving as executive producer, expressed unbridled enthusiasm about the renewal: “I’m orgasmic with excitement and cannot wait for the return of my superhero Rupert Campbell-Black and the rest of the characters in season two.” While no premiere date has been announced, production appears to be moving forward with momentum that mirrors the show’s passionate fanbase.

For Turner, RIVALS represents another triumph in a career trajectory that has skillfully balanced commercial appeal with artistic integrity. His portrayal of O’Hara—passionate, principled, yet flawed—has added another memorable character to his increasingly impressive portfolio, further establishing him as one of the most compelling actors of his generation. As cameras prepare to roll on season two, all eyes will be on Turner to see how he further develops this character within Cooper’s deliciously decadent world of ambition, revenge, and desire.

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March 29, 2025