Rivals spoilers follow.
Fresh from a dramatic episode, Rivals star Claire Rushbrook has opened up about the "moving" love story between her character, Lady Monica Baddingham, and Selina Griffiths's Dame Enid Spink.
The latest instalment of the Disney+ series was a major one for Monica, who finally learned the truth about her husband, Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant), and his affair with Maud O'Hara (Victoria Smurfit).
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After Monica told her husband that she wanted a divorce, she hastily bundled Maud's daughter Caitlin into the car to take her back home in a storm, and to also tell Maud's husband Declan (Aidan Turner) about the affair.
However, tragedy would soon come the way of Monica and Caitlin, as their car collided with a tree. Though Caitlin survived the accident, Monica sadly passed away from her injuries.
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Speaking to Digital Spy, Rushbrook discussed her character's demise as well as the hinted romance with Enid, sharing: "I could share so much, but I feel it would not be very Monica Baddingham to go spouting off on social media about it!"
"What's sad about Monica's position is that she's sort of held herself back for the sake of her family and society. She's hardly in touch with her own feelings, so I think it's very moving."
"It was all very new to her, to consider what she once had and felt. And it was exciting to think that might have led to a new journey, but sadly not," added Rushbrook, who has also appeared in Sherwood.
Although viewers saw Rupert pick up the phone to inform Tony that his wife had died, some fans have speculated that the character isn't actually deceased - and that she will end up with Enid somewhere along the line.
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"So basically Monica ran off with Enid and the last shot of the last ep of the season will be the two of them all safe and in love at Enid's house finally free from these awful men," wrote one viewer on X.
"I'm sticking by my prediction that Monica faked her death just so she can be with Enid. Rupert is an Oscar-winning actor and liar, he was the perfect person to tell Tony about it. She told Enid that he wants to win her heart, so this is another way he's doing that" added another.
Rivals is available to watch on Disney+.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
