Disney shoots Rivals on the Costa, an eight-part series based on the blockbuster book by British author Jilly Cooper

Disney is to film a new eight-part series on the Costa del Sol and in Malaga city for its streaming platform. Rivals, set in the ruthless world of 1980s television, will include touches of comedy and stars Alex Hassell (the superhero Translucent in The Boys) and David Tennant (Doctor Who and Good Omens).

Malaga-based production company Fresco Film is behind this series for Disney+ to be shot by ITV Studios' new drama label Happy Prince. It will be filmed in locations such as Estepona, Malaga city centre, and Motril (Granada province), where the sets will focus on an '80s look' for the adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s best-selling novel, Rivals, one of her Rutshire Chronicles books.

Hassell and Tennant play two neighbours of an elitist residential area. The former plays the charismatic Rupert Campbell-Black, a former Olympic champion and Conservative party politician who disputes the ambitious and egotistical Lord Tony Baddingham's control of the television channel Corinium.

The series portrays the unstable and complex world of the small screen as presenters, actors, producers and journalists try to survive in the crossfire between the politician and the tycoon. The wide-ranging cast includes popular faces from British productions such as Victoria Smurfit (Bloodlands), Bella Maclean (Sex Education), Nafessa Williams (Black Lighting), Katherine Parkinson (Humans), Oliver Chris (The Crown), Danny Dyer (EastEnders) and Claire Rushbrook (Sherwood), among others.

The Malaga-based agency Modexpor has also opened casting for extras for the filming, which starts on 18 September. For the Estepona and Malaga city filming, they are looking for a slim, 1.75-metre-tall, man. For the filming days in Motril, a more general call is open for both sexes between 18 and 80 years of age. Those interested can request information on 689 67 90 61 (casting Malaga) and 682 26 21 36 (Motril).