The cast of the Disney+ series "Rivals" encountered an unexpected challenge during filming in Wales: the use of fake cigarettes due to the country's workplace smoking ban. Oliver Chris, who portrays the character James Vereker, shared that the production team provided e-cigarettes to the actors for scenes requiring smoking.
"In Wales it's illegal to smoke in the work place, and that includes TV sets," Chris explained in an interview on Radio Wales. "So in Rivals where everyone is smoking all the time, we all had to have e-cigarettes when we filmed in the house."
Chris recalled the cast's confusion when they were given the plastic alternatives. "I remember everyone being very confused when they were handing us these odd plastic numbers," he said. He noted that it remains unclear whether the fake smoking effects were digitally altered or if the e-cigarette use was directly visible in the final episodes.
The series, adapted from Dame Jilly Cooper's "Rutshire Chronicles," features a star-studded cast including Danny Dyer, David Tennant, and Emily Atack. While the story is set in the fictional Cotswolds countryside town of Rutshire, filming for "Rivals" took place in various locations in Wales. Notably, Llanhennock House in Monmouthshire served as a set in the first season, and a mansion in Monmouthshire was used as the residence for Danny Dyer's character in the second season. Chris specifically recalled filming in the latter location when the e-cigarette rule was enforced.