Heated Rivalry: The internet’s hottest gay hockey drama is finally airing in the UK this weekend
Sometimes a TV show comes along that nobody expected to blow up – and then suddenly, it’s everywhere. Heated Rivalry, a Canadian series about professional ice hockey with a secret gay romance at its centre, has done just that. What started as a small production has turned into a global sensation, catapulting its previously unknown cast into stardom and Rachel Reid’s novels back onto the bestseller lists.
And while we’ve had to watch from the sidelines here in the UK, the wait is finally over: all episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and NOW later this week on January 10th. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the plot of Heated Rivalry?
Heated Rivalry is a television adaptation of Rachel Reid’s queer hockey romance series Game Changers. Season 1 draws from the first two novels, Game Changer and Heated Rivalry, and follows the high-stakes, secret relationship between two of professional hockey’s brightest stars – and fiercest rivals.
Heated Rivalry chronicles the story of rival hockey players Shane and Ilya
Shane Hollander, a disciplined and reserved Japanese-Canadian, is the newly appointed captain of the Montreal Metros. Across the ice is Ilya Rozanov, the charismatic and provocative Russian captain of the Boston Raiders.
Drafted first and second overall and relentlessly promoted as the face of a bitter rivalry, Shane and Ilya appear to be sworn enemies in public. Behind closed doors, however, a chance encounter sparks a clandestine relationship neither of them expected.
Over the next eight years, their connection deepens amid stolen moments, media pressure and the demands of elite professional sports. Shane grapples with being closeted in a sport hostile to queerness while Ilya masks vulnerability with bravado – both men struggling with what it would mean to choose each other in public.
It also follows the love story between Scott and Kip
Running alongside this central rivalry is a quieter but no less meaningful love story between Scott Hunter, the respected captain of the Toronto Centaurs and Kip Grady, a gifted rookie finding his place in the league.
Who stars in Heated Rivalry?
From relative obscurity to breakout fame, the series’ two leads have quickly become impossible to ignore. Hudson Williams, a 24-year-old who had previously flown under the radar, has skyrocketed to stardom as Shane Hollander. Thanks to the show, he’s now a bona fide fan favourite with 1.5 million Instagram followers.
Opposite him, 25-year-old Connor Storrie brings Ilya Rozanov to life. While he previously had a brief spotlight in Joker: Folie à Deux, it’s Heated Rivalry that has turned him into a household name – Instagram numbers? 1.6 million and counting.
The series’ two leads have quickly become impossible to ignore
The series also features François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Sophie Nélisse and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova.
How did it become a social media sensation?
What started as a modest Canadian production quickly became a global phenomenon. Filmed in just 37 days for the small streamer Crave, which reaches around 4 million viewers, Heated Rivalry might have seemed destined for a quiet debut. But when the trailer dropped, American fans of Rachel Reid’s books went wild, sharing clips and reactions across social media – and HBO Max quickly picked up the series for US audiences.
Since its premiere on 28 November, the show has shattered expectations: it’s Crave’s most-watched original series ever and HBO Max’s top debut for an acquired non-animated title since the platform launched in 2019. The frenzy even gave the original book a second life, propelling it onto the New York Times bestseller list seven years after publication and selling out on Amazon.
The series’ steamy sex scenes have contributed to its attention
Add to that the series’ notorious steamy sex scenes and it’s no wonder Heated Rivalry has dominated online conversation, trending across TikTok, Instagram and Twitter almost immediately after release.
Has it been renewed for a second season?
Yes. The official Instagram account of the series, @heatedrivalrycrave, announced the news in December: “Screaming, crying, throwing up! #HeatedRivalry is confirmed for SEASON 2.”
Earlier this week, while making his late-night TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Hudson Williams also hinted at what’s to come:
“There are some meanies. There are some big baddies,” he teased. “If Season 1 is an internal battle, Season 2 is more of an external battle.” He added jokingly, “And they all die!”
When and where can I watch Heated Rivalry in the UK?
All six episodes land on Sky and NOW on Saturday, 10 January in the UK and Ireland.
