There’s good news for fans of steamy sensation Heated Rivalry, as the Canadian drama has officially been green-lit for a second season. The show has become a viral phenomenon since its launch late last month, as it tells of the love story between two hockey players.
For would-be fans in the UK, however, the wait for an official release date for season one has continued, with no concrete news of a broadcaster or streamer to air it over here.
While there is still no official confirmation, a new report has at least provided an encouraging update for Brits keen to see what all the fuss is about.
According to Deadline, there has been interest from several potential UK buyers, and a finalised deal is thought to be “imminent”.
Previous speculation had been that the show would land on HBO Max when it launches in the UK in March 2026 – given that that’s where it lives in the US and Australia.
Crave
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Per Deadline, that’s who will stream it in Europe in the near future – but the UK, Ireland, Spain and Turkey are not included at present.
The show airs on Crave in its native Canada, and they confirmed the season two renewal news earlier today with a post shared on the show’s official Instagram, reading: “Screaming, crying, throwing up! #HeatedRivalry is confirmed for SEASON 2!”
On X, formerly known as Twitter, it’s safe to say the news has gone down very well.
“Thank you so much for the early christmas gift,” reads one reaction; while another simply says: “WE WON, GUYS!!!”
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Based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series, Heated Rivalry follows two rival hockey players, Canadian Shane (Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya (Connor Storrie), who are professional enemies but hiding a secret romance.
Critics have approved, with its Rotten Tomatoes score currently standing at an impressive 95%. The Hollywood Reporter wrote in its review: “Heated Rivalry may have some comic elements, because blustery male bonding is often funny, but it’s a sincere, steamy love story for grown-ups – less The Cutting Edge and more Challengers, without the pesky ‘Zendaya’ point of the triangle.”
RogerEbert.com, meanwhile, said: “Heated Rivalry stands out in a wasteland of recent queer television that plays it too safe… But, beyond its importance and its inevitable legacy, the show is also one of this year’s most enjoyable.”
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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online; specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who’ll listen.