Future of Disney+ bonkbuster Rivals confirmed ahead of sexy series’ launch

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.

“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.

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.

The hunky actor will chronicle the action in new Paramount+ documentary series Special Forces: Most Daring Missions, about SAS missions.

WHO THE DEVIL IS JAMES?

HE’S best known for playing kind-hearted Hugo on The Vicar Of Dibley, but James Fleet couldn’t be more different in Prime Video thriller The Devil’s Hour.

He appears as bearded newcomer Greg Wiseman in the second series, available to stream from today.

The show sees Peter Capaldi as mysterious killer Gideon. His story is intertwined with Jessica Raine’s Lucy, who is woken up at 3:33am every night by visions of a life that isn’t her own.

Series one left viewers scratching their heads trying to keep up the alternate universes, where Gideon has manipulated events by teleporting between different versions of reality.

Series two picks up on the cliffhanger ending that aired in 2022.

EMILY ATACK, Vogue Williams, Dara O’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.

It airs on Comedy Central from October 28, with two festive specials following.

THORNY ISSUE FOR ROSE

AFTER two years on 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.

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.”