In August 2022 it was reported that Disney+ was planning an eight-part adaptation of the Jilly Cooper novel Rivals. It was also reported that the 1980s novel would be given a "contemporary skew."
The series will reportedly include strong sexual content, even though Disney+ is a family entertainment streamer. In fact, star Aidan Turner boasted that the set is "so sexy," producers have hired two intimacy coordinators.
The series became the first production to use 'TBY2', a new facility at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, Bristol. Filming took place in Gloucestershire in March 2023.