Bella Maclean Teases Rivals Season 2’s 12-Episode Run

Bella Maclean says rivals season 2 is “very tumultuous,” and the Disney+ series is returning with 12 episodes instead of eight. That bigger order signals a heavier rollout for a show that already drew attention for its first-season chaos.

Maclean, who plays Taggie in the adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, said, “It’s Very Tumultuous.” She also said, “I spent so much time laughing on this job that, in the first season, I was worried I’d be fired,” which fits a production built on cast chemistry rather than caution.

Taggie, Tony and 1987

Season 2 moves the story a year on to 1987, with the first episode opening on a pool party at Freddie Jones’ mansion within ten minutes. Two polo players, Sebbie and Dobbie, jump into the water naked in those opening scenes, while Tony Baddingham is alive, bruised, bandaged and rattled.

Maclean said, “Taggie is so serious and earnest - she’s wonderful to play - but I also have Alex (Hassell) or Katherine (Parkinson) or Danny Dyer… They love making me break [from character].” She added, “Rivals is back, baby,” after hearing about the opening scenes, a line that matches a season designed to push harder and move faster than the eight-episode first run.

Disney+ pushes to twelve

Disney+ recommissioned Rivals for a second series, and the jump to twelve episodes comes with a split release in two parts. For a title described as one of the most talked-about shows on both sides of the Atlantic, that is a clear sign the service is treating the property as more than a one-season spike.

Maclean also pointed to the safety protocols around the production, saying, “There’s always someone there making sure everyone feels comfortable and safe. It’s taken very seriously.” She said of the new cast members, “The boys were new this season - talk about courage,” which sounds right for a series leaning into excess without looking careless.

For viewers, the practical takeaway is simple: rivals season 2 is built as a larger event, with more room for the show’s scandals, comedy and sexual frankness to breathe. The expanded order gives the series a wider runway, and the two-part drop suggests Disney+ wants this second run to land in waves rather than all at once.