Is a Heated Rivalry special coming before season 2?
A standalone episode of Heated Rivalry between the first and second seasons could be on the horizon!
A standalone episode of Heated Rivalry between the first and second seasons could be on the horizon!
Justin Stockman, vice-president of content development and programming at Bell Media — the Canadian company that owns Crave, which airs the acclaimed sports romance — told Toronto Star that the network is exploring whether a special episode is “feasible” while fans wait for season two.
“If [Jacob] can find a way to make the source material work in a way that gets us something sooner or something special, I’m sure he will,” said Stockman.
“I would love to have this back for the holidays next year, but that likely is not going to happen. We can’t rush the process. We won’t be able to repeat the magic if we push him.”
The exciting news comes after Heated Rivalry’s iconic duo, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, carried the Olympic Flame in Feltre, Italy, ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
The stars behind Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov were spotted wearing matching pink and white tracksuits as they carried the torch during the 49th leg of the relay on Sunday afternoon (25 January).
Based on Rachel Reid’s novel of the same name from her beloved Game Changers MLM series, Heated Rivalry follows Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, rival hockey players who embark on a secret fling that unfolds into a multi-year journey of “love, denial and self-discovery.”
“Over the next eight years, as they chase glory on the ice, they struggle to navigate their feelings off it,” reads the synopsis. “Torn between the sport they live for and the love they can’t ignore, Shane and Ilya must decide if there’s room in their fiercely competitive world for something as fragile – and powerful – as real love.”
The series, which airs in the US on HBO Max and on Sky/NOW TV in the UK, was met with overwhelming critical acclaim, with praise aimed at the performances (and chemistry) of Williams and Storrie, Jacob Tierney’s creative direction and its intimate scenes.
Heated Rivalry quickly became a global phenomenon and propelled Williams and Storrie into international fame.
Together, the duo have amassed over 2.8 million Instagram followers each, appeared on the covers of major magazines, made regular appearances on late-night talk shows, and even received an invitation to present at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards.
It even inspired hockey player Jesse Korteum to come out as gay.
Heated Rivalry has already been renewed for a second season, which Storrie says is slated to begin filming in summer 2026. The season will adapt The Long Game, the second ‘Hollanov’ novel in Reid’s beloved series.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tiernay assured fans the new season will arrive much sooner than the drawn-out release schedules that have plagued other shows.
“It’s not gonna be two years. It’s not even gonna be 18 months, I don’t think. So we’re gonna go as fast as we can, while ensuring that we’re doing as good a job as we possibly can,” he said.
“There’s only so fast a track to go down when the show is written and directed by one person. I haven’t started writing yet—but we are aware. We want to get the season out as soon as we can, while also making sure we give people a good second season.”
Heated Rivalry is currently streaming in the UK on Sky and NOW TV.
