Hayley Atwell joins Rivals season 2 as Helen Gordon, the ex-wife of Alex Hassell’s Rupert Campbell-Black and mother to his two children, Marcus and Tabitha. The Mission: Impossible star was announced for the role in August 2025 and appears in the expanded 12-part season, which premiered on Disney+ on May 15, 2026.
Quick Facts
- Atwell plays Helen Gordon, Rupert Campbell-Black’s ex-wife and mother of his two children
- Rupert Everett joins as Malise Gordon, Helen’s husband and Campbell-Black’s former show-jumping coach
- Season 2 expanded to 12 episodes from the original planned length
- Showrunner Dominic Treadwell-Collins said the season aims to add greater depth and explore Campbell-Black’s past
The casting brought fresh energy to the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bestselling Rutshire Chronicles novel. Treadwell-Collins announced the additions at the Edinburgh TV Festival in August 2025, revealing that polo would feature more prominently in season two. The show is set against the backdrop of the Cotswolds countryside and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television.
Atwell’s character Helen brings layers of history and heartbreak to the ensemble, as Rupert Campbell-Black’s aggrieved ex-wife navigating her position in his life. Rupert Everett, known for My Best Friend’s Wedding, plays her husband Malise Gordon, who was Campbell-Black’s former mentor in the show-jumping world. The season also added other new cast members including Maxim Ays, Holly Cattle, Oliver Dench, Amanda Lawrence, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, and Jonny Weldon.
Hayley Atwell joins Rivals season 2 as Rupert Campbell-Black’s ex-wife
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Sources
- Deadline — casting announcement with character details and showrunner comments
- Disney+ — season 2 premiere date and character descriptions
- The Hollywood Reporter — confirmed Atwell’s casting as Helen Gordon
- Cosmopolitan — character role and recasting information
