Naughty neighbours

David Tennant and Alex Hassell wage war in Dame Jilly Cooper's racy tale of money, lust and power

- REBECCA MAHONEY

Fans of Dame Jilly Cooper have been waiting breathlessly for this racy adaptation of her bestselling 1988 novel Rivals, which delves into the back-stabbing and bed-hopping world of wealth and power.

Based on the second novel in the Rutshire Chronicles series, this deliciously British eight-part romp is set in the 80s and follows the long-simmering feud between power-hungry TV boss Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) and devilishly handsome Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell).

During a franchise renewal year, Tony has grand plans to expand his media empire and hires brilliant new chat-show host Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner) and ace producer Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams). But when he spies an opportunity to publicly destroy his arch-rival Rupert, can Tony finally get revenge on the man who has it all?

‘These are the days when ITV was split into regional franchises and Corinium is the Rutshire TV franchise,’ explains Doctor Who star Tennant, 53. ‘Owning one was a big deal, and Tony is motivated by wealth and power, but also by the fact that he doesn’t come from the upper echelons of society.