Rivals finale delivers shock potential death scene for major character

While the stakes were ever higher in the battle between Corinium and Venturer, the focus of the final episode turned to a public meeting between the two companies as they battled for the Central South-West TV franchise.

Much like a scene out of the Colesseum itself, both sides of the independent TV debate were primed and ready for drama, with both Corinium and Venturer making promises about what kind of exciting plans they have for the future.

Comments were levied at Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) in an impassioned speech from Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner) which garnered quite the positive audience reaction and it was enough to tip Tony's anger to a new level.

Although the verdict was yet to be made, he was resolute in the fact that fresh-faced Venturer had done the unthinkable and usurped Corinium.

Already pent up with suspicion around his own workforce working with Venturer, Tony starts to devolve and hurl insults at his team, hinting that they missed a major piece of information that could've been used in their smear campaign against Venturer.

But what does he mean?

It's the thought on Cameron Cook's (Nafessa Williams) mind as she goes into a backroom with Rupert (Alex Hassell), telling him that she thinks Tony knows something that he's not letting on. Rupert dispels any of her worries, saying that he'll "look after" her no matter what, even if Venturer doesn't win the bid.

And things go from bad to worse for Tony as he sits in his office, stewing on the day's events when he's visited by his wife Lady Monica (Claire Rushbrook).

Although she doesn't explicitly say she knows about his affair with Cameron, she mentions her unwavering loyalty to her husband but says that her "stoicism has a limit", telling Tony to "be careful". She tells him to come home that evening so they can talk otherwise she will take the children and leave.

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But later that night, things devolve further as, upon leaving the Corinium offices, Cameron is surprised by Tony standing and blocking her exit. Calling her into his office, Tony confronts her and asks her how long she's been sleeping with Rupert.

While Cameron tries to play it off as simply getting information from the other side, Tony knows it's more and the very fact that Cameron is sleeping with his nemesis riles him up to no end.

Upset, a pleading Tony says he'll do whatever Cameron wants and offers to bring in his solicitor to draw up his divorce from Monica so that he and Cameron can be together.

He'll only do that, though, if Cameron vows to never let Rupert touch her again – something Cameron can't and won't agree to. Threatening to sack her (and jeopardising her working visa), Cameron seems unfazed by Tony's threats and says she'll resign, explaining that she'll marry Rupert to remain in the UK if she has to.

Tony slaps Cameron after she says that and Cameron then punches Tony. Getting into a violent struggle and lunging towards her, Cameron picks up the only thing that lies around – her Spanish TV award – and swings it at Tony, hitting him on the head and causing him to fall back.

Shocked at what she's done, Cameron stands and looks at Tony, who appears to be taking his last shaky breaths as he eventually closes his eyes, his earlier speech eerily sounding out from the TV screens in the background.

Could this spell the end for Tennant's Tony Baddingham, then?

While it certainly sounded as though Tony had lost consciousness from that pretty major head wound, there's every possibility that Cameron may call for help or Tony – being the unguessable villainous character that he is – could be fine and use the attempted murder as leverage over Cameron.

Quite simply, though, we'll just have to wait and see if the Disney Plus series gets renewed for more and if our burning questions get answered – here's to hoping!

Rivals is available to stream on Disney Plus now. Sign up to Disney Plus now for £4.99 per month or £79.90 for a full year.

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