Danny Dyer reveals why steamy Rivals season 2 sex scene initially "didn’t work" – and how it leads to Freddie and Lizzie "imbalance"

*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Rivals season 2 episodes 7-9.*

By now, Rivals fans will have made their way through the chunk of three new season 2 episodes that have landed on Disney+ and seen how things have continued to develop with the Freddie (Danny Dyer), Lizzie (Katherine Parkinson) and Val (Lisa McGrillis) love triangle.

But it turns out that the intimate sex scene between Lizzie and Freddie actually almost never was.

Chatting exclusively to Radio Times, Dyer said of the scene: "It wasn’t really in the script. We needed to find something… because it didn’t work. We were sent some positions by the intimacy coordinator.

"I’m speaking for myself but we’re sort of pushing 50 and I don’t think we can get in that position."

Parkinson joked: "I would’ve had to physically have been placed by several men into the position with the legs…"

Dyer continued: "I think for vanity reasons, I didn’t wanna have my derby hanging out. We came up with the idea of it had to be Lizzie taking control of Freddie and she sort of runs my hand down her."

But aside from the logistics of the scene, it also has some implications for the sanctity of Lizzie and Freddie's relationship. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that Freddie takes one of the moves that Lizzie teaches him and uses it on his wife, Val.

Read more:

• Katherine Parkinson reveals how Rivals season 2 episode 9 [spoiler] leads to “nasty and horrible” outcome
• Rivals star reacts to "gratifying" Lady Monica Baddingham return appearances in new episodes

Speaking to that, Parkinson said: "In a way, he’s not doing anything wrong and in another way, you get into the knotty aspects of an affair. Obviously, she’s trying to avoid any kind of marital relations with James and I’m sure she wouldn’t be learning anything she learnt with Freddie with him. So, something feels imbalanced, doesn’t it?"

Whilst the connection between Val and Freddie seems unexpected, McGrillis previously told Radio Times that it comes in the wake of Val's grief over Monica's death.

She said: "She was desperate to be friends with a Lady. I love that little detail that they put into Val's storyline, that she was heartbroken. Actually, it really makes Valerie appreciate what she has – a son at Eton, a house in Spain and each other. And forgets about Sharon!

"She needs some human touch, love and affection and it brings them [Freddie and Val] closer together, doesn't it?"

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Authors

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.