"There Was Genuine Trauma" — David Tennant & Claire Rushbrook on the 'Devastating' Rivals Season 2

Claire Rushbrook and David Tennant spoke to HeyUGuys at the Rivals Season 2 SXSW London Premiere at the Barbican, London — and from the very first exchange, it was clear that episode six of this series carries a weight that even the cast weren't fully prepared for. In a warm, candid and at times quietly devastating conversation, Tennant and Rushbrook opened up about the electric tension of the table read, the genuine trauma that rippled through the room as the cast discovered where the story was heading, and why Jilly Cooper's writing deserves to be taken far more seriously than it ever was in its day. Interviews for Rivals Season 2 at the SXSW London Premiere at the Barbican, London. The series stars David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Nafessa Williams, Bella Maclean, Katherine Parkinson, Danny Dyer, Victoria Smurfit, Claire Rushbrook, Oliver Chris, Lisa McGrillis, Emily Atack, Rufus Jones, Luca Pasqualino, Catriona Chandler, Annabel Scholey, Gary Lamont, Hubert Burton, Gabriel Tierney, Lara Peake, Bryony Hannah, Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett; it was written by Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Laura Wade and directed by Elliot Hegarty, Jamie J Johnson and Dee Koppang O'Leary. Colin Hart and Abigail Shii ask the questions. Plot: As the battle for the Central South West television franchise reaches boiling point, Lord Tony Baddingham grows more ruthless than ever — weaponising scandal and manipulating those closest to him to maintain his grip on power. Set against the shimmering excess of 1980s Britain, marriages fracture under ambition, illicit affairs threaten to detonate families, and long-buried secrets ignite with devastating consequences. Loyalties bend, hearts splinter, and the question hangs in the air: what is the true cost of war? Rivals Season 2 will be available on Disney+ from 15th May 2026. #RivalsSeason2 #Rivals #DavidTennant #ClaireRushbrook #SXSWLondon #HeyUGuys #DisneyPlus #JillyCooper #Hulu #RedCarpet --------------------- For syndication or usage opportunities please contact [email protected]. --------------------- More from HeyUGuys: Website ► http://HeyUGuys.com Follow us on Twitter ► http://twitter.com/HeyUGuys Subscribe here! ► http://bit.ly/HeyUGuysYTSub Facebook ► http://facebook.com/HeyUGuys Instagram ► http://instagram.com/HeyUGuysOfficial TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@heyuguysofficial ---------------------