Rivals: Corsham excited for tourism as filming begins

Local businesses say they are "excited" for the tourism a TV series adaption of a Jilly Cooper novel will bring to their historic market town.

Rivals, which will feature actors David Tennant and Danny Dyer, is set to be partially filmed in Corsham, Wiltshire.

It was previously graced by actor Aidan Turner when he filmed scenes for the historical drama, Poldark.

Shopkeeper Matt Booker said he has seen many stars come into his store on the High Street.

"It does very well for the town," he said.

"I've been retailing her for 29 years and anything like this brings in a few people just to have a look around the town."

Mr Booker, who runs The Corsham Toy Shop and Automatic Comics, said that bringing people into the town "helps keep the high street vibrant".

"There has been a bump in visitor numbers since Poldark was filmed here and 99% [of people] loved the town".

Disney Plus is turning the novel into an eight-part TV series on the "power-grabbing and affluent elite" of 1980s England.

The new drama promises to dive headfirst into the world of independent television in 1986 where a long-standing rivalry between two powerful men is about to boil over.

Sharon Thomas from Corsham Town Council and said it has been "lovely" to have filming back in the town since the period drama Poldark was filmed there a few years ago.

"The impact the series could potentially have with the cast that it has, a tiny fraction of people might want to know a bit more and come to Corsham," she said.

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