Rivals kills – Rivals shocked viewers on Hulu when Rupert told Tony that his wife Monica died after a tree fell on their car. The surprise twist is expected to ripple through the second half of the season, which is split into two parts.
By the time Rupert walked Tony through what happened, the damage had already been done—and the story changed shape in an instant.
On Friday, June 5, during the Hulu series Rivals, Rupert (Alex Hassell) told Tony (David Tennant) that his wife, Monica (Claire Rushbrook), had died. “We found her,” Rupert said. “A tree fell and hit the car. Caitlin got out but … Monica’s dead.”
That brief exchange didn’t just land as a gut-punch; it reframed what viewers thought they’d be watching next. The fallout from Monica’s death is set to continue into the second half of the season. with the show’s remaining episodes poised to build on the revelation that the stakes inside Rupert and Tony’s fight are now deeply personal.
The latest turn also comes with a wider sense of inevitability for the audience—Rivals is based on Jilly Cooper’s novel of the same name, and this moment arrives as a major book change that viewers will be weighing long after the episode ends.
Rivals centers on a feud between two men fighting for control of a television station in 1980s Britain. While audiences waited to see whether Tony or Rupert would come out on top, Hassell’s character and his private life kept drawing attention of their own.
The series’ second season premiered in May and is split into two parts. The second half is expected to debut in the winter, giving viewers time to absorb what the first six episodes have already changed—and to prepare for what comes next.
Hassell and his costar Bella Maclean also hinted that the remainder of the season is only going to get heavier. The pair teased “some amazing work, amazing scenes and brilliant writing” that will become “quite dark” at certain points in part 2.
The duo also addressed the on-screen romance between Rupert and Taggie (Maclean). including the age gap that fans have discussed since the show began. Hassell. speaking about the ripple effect of the relationship in the real world. shared that he’d never been part of something that sparked that kind of reaction. “I’ve certainly never been part of something before that is having a ripple effect in the real world. ” he said to Us about the reception. “It’s fascinating.”.
Maclean, 29, recalled that she and Hassell were initially nervous about how the age difference would land. “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 reading the online response, Hassell emphasized that the romance isn’t only about numbers. “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.”.
With Rivals streaming on Hulu, viewers will now have to wait—until the winter premiere of the second half—to see how Monica’s death reshapes the season’s remaining momentum, and whether the characters’ entanglements only deepen as the show heads “quite dark” into part 2.
Rivals Hulu Monica Claire Rushbrook Alex Hassell David Tennant Rupert Tony Jilly Cooper season 2 part 2 winter Bella Maclean Taggie age gap
Wow Monica really just got taken out like that? Plot twist for sure.
I mean the tree thing felt kinda convenient? Like writers needed a shock so they did a car/tree hit and boom. Also why did it happen off-screen? Hulu be doing too much.
Wait so Rupert told Tony and then that “changes the shape in an instant”?? I’m confused because I thought Monica was gonna be around later, like she had more scenes. Maybe they’re doing some flashback thing in the winter part? I don’t wanna get my hopes up.
I saw this on TikTok like 2 minutes ago and it said Monica died in a car accident which is already messed up enough, but a tree?? That seems lowkey like the universe punishing someone’s feud lol. If it’s based on the book, then doesn’t that mean the station control plot basically collapses now? Or is Tony gonna lose even harder because grief makes him dumb? idk just seems like too fast of a character wipe.