Rivals on Disney Plus is a racy eight-part adaptation of the bestselling Dame Jilly Cooper novel that delves into the world of 1980s independent television in the UK. Set in the fictional British county of Rutshire, the story centers around a long-term rivalry between ex-Olympic rider turned politician Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and TV station controller Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant), who, along with their friends, family and neighbors, drip with ambition, lust and power.
Here's everything that happened in Rivals episode 7...
The penultimate episode opens with Tony hosting the Corinium summer pool party at his house, and he is smug when Cameron tells him he knows how to throw a party. But while the Corinium staff are all enjoying some downtime, Venturer's team are at Declan's house going through the finer points of their pitch, determined to win the franchise bid from Tony.
Wearing their Venturer t-shirts the team head out to face the press, making an official statement about the new TV production company and that they intend to make a bid for the Central South West ITV franchise. News soon spreads and the smug smile is wiped off Tony's face when Ginger comes to tell him the news. He goes mad and pushes Ginger into the pool in anger, leaving everyone at the party speechless. Indoors, Tony lashes out at everyone in his team, telling them they should have known about Venturer earlier and belittles them all by angrily suggesting they are all rubbish at their jobs. With the party over, Tony storms upstairs, leaving everyone stunned.
Wanting to help spread the word about Venturer and get local backing, Taggie goes door to door to get people to sign a petition and while she is out she bumps into Charles. It's initially awkward between them as they are now on opposing sides, however, he asks her in for a sneaky cup of tea and thanks her for helping him at New Year. He tells her it was a panic attack, not a heart attack, and that he has been having them for years. He also reveals that Rupert helped his sick mother get care after New Year and Taggie is surprised that Rupert did something so nice and didn't tell anyone.
Tony and Cameron arrive at the British Television Awards and are annoyed to see Rupert and Declan also turn up. Rupert and Declan use it as an evening to recruit more people for Venturer, but many are nervous about joining a new company that doesn't have any experience. Corinium TV show, Four Men Went To Mow wins an award and Tony dedicates it to Cameron, making a point to Declan and Rupert that she is on his team.
Declan goes to visit Charles after Taggie saw him earlier in the week and offers him the role of Programme Controller. He is flattered but turns it down because it would be too stressful with his sick mother, but when Declan offers him the role of Head of Documentaries, he is thrilled and takes the job.
At Corinium Tony is testing his staff's loyalties by making them all sign new contracts... Charles panics and goes to secretly ring Declan to tell him what is happening. But Seb overhears and it seems like he might tell Tony that Charles is jumping ship. Charles goes to see Declan at home, dressed in disguise as a woman so no one sees him, and tells him that they have a problem with Seb. Soon Declan and Charles meet up with Seb in secret and he tells Declan that working with him was the best job he's ever had, so Declan offers him the job of Head of News at Venturer, and Seb's thrilled.
Needing to come up with new program ideas, Cameron and Tony tell James they want him to front a new show called 'How To Stay Married' and that they want Lizzie to join him. They also point out that for this concept to work, he needs to stop sleeping with Sarah Stratton, which he reluctantly agrees to. James goes home to tell Lizzie, but she hates the idea and is already busy with writing her book. He cruelly tells her that maybe if she is on TV she might actually sell some of her novels, and she is left with little choice but to agree to go into the studios for a screen test.
Wanting to secure new board members, Tony and Cameron go and see Baz at his bar and Tony tells him that he wants family on the board because he needs people he can trust. However, Freddie, Declan and Rupert have got to Baz first and have invited him to Venturer, which Baz was thrilled about because they want to show polo, which Tony has always dismissed. Tony belittles his three rivals, fuming they have pinched his brother for their board, and plants seeds of doubt in their minds about whether their new business venture will work.
Sarah has a day off from work because Lizzie is going into the Corinium studios for her screen test with James. Paul, her husband, suggests she needs to try and hold onto her job and not be replaced by Lizzie, so she marches into the offices and makes a beeline for James's dressing room where she seduces him. Unfortunately, while they are having sex Lizzie arrives for her screen test and hears them through the door and she is devastated.
Lizzie puts on a brave face while they do their screen test for 'How To Stay Married' and when she tries to talk to her husband about his affair he cuts her off.
Meanwhile, Taggie is also having a bad day when her canvasing for the new TV company ends in disaster when she is heckled at a rugby club. On the way home, she is distracted and crashes her car, narrowly missing Rupert's car coming the other way. She is shaken and he drives her home, and it is clear she has fallen for him head over heels.
Later Rupert goes to Cameron's house and she isn't happy to see him, but he asks for just 5 minutes and for her to hear him out. He apologizes for taking the Corinium pitch paperwork and tells her they didn't even read it, however, to make things fair she can see the Venturer pitch. But, he tells her that he wants her to read it becasue he wants her to join the team as Programme Controller. She is incredulous that he would be that upfront... the best case he will get her on the team, worst case he has just given all their insider secrets to the opposition. He tells her if she is in, they are having a meeting at his house at 3pm on Sunday and she should come.
While reading the pitch the following day at home, Cameron is surprised when Tony comes in unannounced and gives her a ring. She hides the paperwork and he tells her that if they win the pitch he will make that ring an engagement ring and they can get married. She is shocked as this is the first time he has talked about leaving Monica for her - however, we never get to hear her answer.
Hating James for having his affair, Lizzie calls Freddie, who is delighted to hear from her. He tells her that he was just thinking about her and she says if the invite for lunch still stands she would love to come... and maybe he could book somewhere with rooms. He is thrilled and when she puts the phone down she can't quite believe what she has done!
The meeting at Rupert's is underway and Cameron is a no-show... everyone is furious with Rupert that he gave Cameron their pitch without asking, and now Corinium has all their ideas. However, while everyone's cross with Rupert, Cameron walks in and agrees to join the team, accepting the job at Venturer if they will have her. Some on the board are unsure if they can trust her, but, knowing she is the best in the business and worth the risk, Declan agrees to have her on board and everyone celebrates.
Taggie runs out of the room in tears, knowing this means Cameron and Rupert will be inseparable. She later asks him if he can trust Cameron, and he says he isn't sure.
Over at Tony's house, he is watching his kids play with their new puppy when Ginger arrives. He asks him to up the surveillance of their staff, and Ginger points out they have already tapped the work phones and are opening the post. But Tony tells him they have to do more and he wants them to start 'personal surveillance' on every member of staff.
How long will Cameron's secret about Venturer stay hidden now?
All eight episodes of Rivals are available now on Hulu in the US and on Disney Plus in the UK.
