Rivals : The Official Podcast season 2 now streaming on Disney+

May 15, 2026 marks a double event for Rivals fans : season 2 of the hit British series drops on Disney+, and its companion podcast comes back with it. For those of us who track streaming releases daily, this kind of coordinated launch is exactly what makes Disney+ stand out from the competition right now.

The official Rivals podcast is back for a second run

Disney+ has confirmed the return of Rivals : The Official Podcast, timed precisely to coincide with the premiere of season 2 of the show. The podcast will launch on May 15 on Disney+ and across major podcast platforms simultaneously, with new episodes rolling out week by week through to the finale. That's the kind of multi-platform strategy that streaming services increasingly rely on to build sustained buzz around their flagship titles.

Journalist and broadcaster Pandora Sykes returns as host — and she's made no secret of her enthusiasm for the project. In an official statement, she said : "It's such a joy to be back hosting the Rivals Podcast ! I cannot wait to dive back into the fabulous and naughty world of Rutshire. Join me on the podcast for all the behind-the-scenes gossip and action from the new season of Rivals, with the fantastic cast and creatives who made it happen."

The format remains a visual podcast, blending audio and video to give fans something richer than a standard companion show. Produced by Platform Media — the same team behind The Traitors : Uncloaked — the podcast promises exclusive access, humour, nostalgia and insider stories that go well beyond what appears on screen. Each episode is built around the corresponding Rivals S2 episode, digging into character arcs, the creative choices behind recreating 1980s television culture, and the world of Dame Jilly Cooper, whose novel the series adapts.

A cast list that reads like a who's who of British drama

One of the strongest selling points of this podcast is the sheer quality of its guest lineup. David Tennant, who plays Lord Tony Baddingham, is among the confirmed names — and if you've followed his career from Doctor Who to The Thursday Murder Club, you know he's rarely short of something interesting to say. Alongside him, Aidan Turner (Poldark, The Hobbit Trilogy) appears as Declan O'Hara, and Alex Hassell (The Boys) takes on the role of Rupert Campbell-Black.

Here's a breakdown of the key cast members confirmed for the podcast :

• David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham
• Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara
• Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black
• Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook
• Bella Maclean as Taggie O'Hara
• Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones
• Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton
• Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker
• Victoria Smurfit as Maud O'Hara
• Luca Pasqualino as Basil 'Bas' Baddingham

The creative side is equally well represented. Executive producers Dominic Treadwell-Collins (A Very English Scandal) and Alexander Lamb (The Bay) will appear, along with Olivier Award-winning playwright Laura Wade (The Riot Club), director Elliot Hegarty (Ted Lasso), and producers Felicity Blunt and others from the core creative team. That's a remarkable depth of access for a companion podcast.

Where and when to find the podcast — and what to expect

Knowing exactly where to watch or listen is half the battle. We put together a quick reference below :

Season 1 of Rivals is already streamable on both Disney+ and Hulu, which gives new viewers just enough time to catch up before the May 15 premiere. The podcast's first season is also available for anyone who wants to revisit the commentary and behind-the-scenes material before the new episodes land.

Disney+ has been investing heavily in original British content over the past two years — a strategy that clearly extends beyond the UK market. Their recent exclusive content deal with Japan's The Seven shows the platform is serious about building a globally diverse slate of originals, not just English-language productions.

Why companion podcasts are changing how we experience streaming drama

The rise of companion content is not a coincidence. Podcast listenership in the UK grew by 23% between 2022 and 2025, according to Ofcom data, and streaming platforms have taken note. A well-produced companion podcast extends a show's life cycle, keeps the conversation going between episodes, and brings in audiences who might never have watched the original series.

Rivals : The Official Podcast does something smarter than most : it ties each episode directly to the drama's weekly release, creating a rhythm that rewards loyal viewers. That structure — one podcast episode per drama episode — turns passive viewing into something more participatory. You watch the show, then you listen to the people who made it explain why they made it that way.

For a series rooted in the world of 1980s broadcasting, there's a certain poetry in the fact that its companion content lives natively on the very platforms that have replaced that era's television ecosystem. Platform Media clearly understands this — their track record with The Traitors : Uncloaked proved that companion formats can attract audiences in their own right, not just as add-ons. With Rivals season 2 arriving on May 15, keep an eye on your preferred streaming dashboard — this one's worth marking in your calendar.