‘Rivals’ Shocks Viewers by Killing Off Crucial Character in Surprise Book Change

Rivals shocked viewers by killing off a major character in a shocking book change.

During the Friday, June 5, episode of the hit Hulu series, Rupert (Alex Hassell) told Tony (David Tennant) that his wife, Monica (Claire Rushbrook), had died. “We found her,” Rupert told Tony. “A tree fell and hit the car. Caitlin got out but … Monica’s dead.”

The aftermath of that shocking twist will continue into the second half of the season.

Based on Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name, Rivals focuses on a feud between two men fighting for control of a television station in 1980s Britain. While viewers waited to see whether Tony (David Tennant) or Rupert would come out on top, Hassell’s character and his personal life continued to intrigue audience members.

The show’s second season, which premiered in May, is split into two parts. With the second half expected to debut in the winter, viewers will have time to ponder the major onscreen revelations from the first six episodes.

Hassell and his costar Bella Maclean, meanwhile, teased “some amazing work, amazing scenes and brilliant writing” that will get “quite dark” at certain points in part 2. The duo also addressed their onscreen age gap — and the role it plays in Rupert and Taggie’s (Maclean) complicated romance.

“I’ve certainly never been part of something before that is having a ripple effect in the real world,” Hassell shared with Us about the reception to Rupert and Taggie’s 16-year age difference. “It’s fascinating.”

Maclean, 29, meanwhile, recalled her initial concerns.

“We were probably nervous at points about the age gap,” she noted. “It’s so funny that we’re certain that people who we thought maybe would be curious or maybe were not such a big fan of the relationship ended up being people who loved it the most. It’s incredible.”

After seeing the online response, Hassell pointed out that Rupert and Taggie’s romance is more than just an age gap, adding, “It is about potentially this young and fairly open-hearted girl with her heart on her sleeve. She is this innocent, naive young woman, and the strength of her love and purity could change the biggest rogue in the whole world. It is a very potent fantasy for young people.”

Rivals is streaming on Hulu.