Danny Dyer swears season 2 of hit Disney Plus drama Rivals is 'even better'

The former EastEnders star, 47, didn’t hold back as he shared his excitement during the winner’s press conference at the with P&O Cruises, where he bagged the award for Best Performance in a Comedy for his role in Mr Bigstuff .

Dyer, who stars in the Jilly Cooper adaptation alongside Katherine Parkinson, was full of praise for the upcoming second season of Rivals , claiming it’s a major step up from the already-acclaimed first series reported

What did Danny Dyer says about Rivals?

“This series is so much better than the first, it’s that difficult second album thing, but honestly the writers and the producers have absolutely nailed it and I can’t wait for people to see it,” he said.

“It’s a beautiful job for me [and] I love working with Katherine.”

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Describing the drama as “so lavish and lush,” Dyer said the team had successfully avoided the common pitfall of sophomore slumps.

The first season received critical acclaim in 2024, with three BAFTA nominations to its name.

Reflecting on his time filming, Dyer admitted he’s no stranger to getting his hopes up – only for projects to fall flat.

“You do these jobs and I’ve done it before where you get all excited about something, you think it’s going to be great and then it just dies a death,” he said. “I’ve done that a lot over my career but this always had an energy about it – you’re working with such brilliant actors, every single performance in that is so, so good, whether people in it have got four lines or they’ve got monologues, it just makes you want to raise your game.”

What is the TV series Rivals about?

The gritty period drama is set in 1980s Britain and follows power struggles and scandal in the world of independent television. Dyer added that he believes part of the show’s success lies in its unapologetic depiction of the era.

“If you don’t fancy that, don’t watch it, if you want a little bit of naughtiness in your life, go and watch it – and Rivals has got plenty of naughtiness!” he teased.

Season two of Rivals recently began filming, with Dyer, Parkinson, David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Nafessa Williams and Bella Maclean all returning.

Disney Plus has confirmed new cast members will also be joining the ensemble, but is keeping tight-lipped on who they are for now.

As cameras rolled once again, the show’s executive producer and legendary author Dame Jilly Cooper couldn’t contain her delight. “I'm utterly sex-static filming for the second season is upon us,” she said.

“It was magical working with Happy Prince and Disney Plus on the first season and seeing everyone fall head over heels for my beloved characters. I’m delighted to be able to work with them again and for everyone to see what further mischief they all get up to!”

Rivals season one is currently available to stream on Disney Plus.