BONKBUSTER telly adaptation Rivals already has a sequel in the pipeline – even though series one has only just been released on Disney+.
The eight-part reworking of Jilly Cooper's novel dropped today and early screenings are said to have impressed bosses at the streaming giant.
Screenwriter Dominic Treadwell-Collins recently confirmed he deliberately only adapted the first half of the Rivals book.
And a TV insider said: “The feeling is that there is still so much more in the story that could easily be made into a sequel.
“Disney+ appear to be on board, even though they haven’t announced an official commission yet.
"Bosses at the streamer can see there is a huge amount of anticipation for this show, and having seen the episodes, they know it won’t disappoint.
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"So going for a follow-up is a no-brainer, though these things take money and time, particularly as they have to try to align the very busy diaries of Rivals’ star-studded cast.”
That line-up includes David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer.
Set in the Eighties in the fictional county of Rutshire, long-held grudges bubble to the surface as the characters vie for business and each others’ affections in the cut-throat world of telly execs. Expect racy action in the bedroom and boardroom.
The first series, and any sequel, will enjoy a loyal fanbase ready to lap it up because Jilly’s books, which often include the same characters and ongoing storylines, have sold 11million copies.
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I hope Disney+ give her a free subscription — it’s the very least they owe her.
HE lent his voice to CBeebies’ Bedtime Stories with great success, so it’s no surprise Tom Hardy has been offered more narration work.
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WHO THE DEVIL IS JAMES?
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He appears as bearded newcomer Greg Wiseman in the second series, available to stream from today.
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Series two picks up on the cliffhanger ending that aired in 2022.
EMILY ATACK, Vogue Williams, Dara Ó Briain, Susie Dent and Al Murray will join Rhod Gilbert for his new series of Growing Pains, which sees famous faces reveal stories from their youth.
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ROSE’S CAR CRASH TV
AFTER two years on dreary EastEnders, Rose Ayling-Ellis is used to portraying a character going through misery.
So I’m sure she’ll feel right at home on new ITV crime series Code Of Silence.
My exclusive photos show Rose filming for the six-part thriller – and it looks like her role won’t be a barrel of laughs.
Rose, who won Strictly in 2021, plays Alison, a deaf catering worker struggling to make ends meet as she juggles jobs in a police canteen and a local bar.
But when she is called upon by the police to lip read conversations of criminals, it plunges her into a new and thrilling world.
My snaps show her leaving the pub on her bike when she gets hit by a car.
The crash might not have been an accident, though . . .
RAILWAY SHIFT FOR DOC KEV
GREY’S Anatomy star Kevin McKidd has swapped his medic’s scrubs for a smart suit in his new role as a loving family man.
The Scots actor plays dad Rob Robinson in BBC special The Primrose Railway Children, alongside Bodyguard’s Nina Toussaint-White as his on-screen wife Sarah.
They are joined by children Phoebe, Becks and Perry as they embark on a new life in the remote Scottish Highlands after being uprooted from Glasgow.
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The 90-minute film, which will air on the BBC over the festive period, is based on the 2021 novel by Jacqueline Wilson, which in turn is a reimagining of the classic 1905 story The Railway Children by E Nesbit.
Jacqueline said of the new telly adventure: “It’s going to be a special treat for all the family.”