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Heated Rivalry is a sports-romance series from Canada that has already sparked a lot of discussion even before its premiere date, which is set to be November 28, 2025. It is a series based on a novel called Heated Rivalry written by Rachel Reid, which originally was the second book of the Game Changers series, and it depicts the story of two NHL players whose hostility transforms into a secret love affair.
The two lead roles are played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, portraying Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, respectively, making the storyline of the book accessible not only to the Canadian audience but also to the people in other parts of the world.
Heated Rivalry is an Original Crave series, consisting of six episodes that is written, directed, and executive produced by Jacob Tierney, co-creator and star of Letterkenny. It will stream on Crave in Canada, HBO Max in the US and Australia, Sky in New Zealand (Nov 30), and Movistar Plus+ in Spain.
According to Just Jared, Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney said he heard the lead actors regularly communicate with each other. He stated,
"You can hear them just checking in with each other, being like, 'You good? You comfortable?’ ‘You good? You comfortable?’ They’re so present with one another, and they were down to make this as good as they could right away, which is obviously huge. I think we can hold these shots for so long, because they’re so compelling together."
With its simple plot, big-name actors, and clear timelines, Heated Rivalry gives the audience a short but powerful story taken from Reid's book.
Heated Rivalry series overview: Premise and format
Heated Rivalry is a series about Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two players on the same team at first, whose rivalry turns into another strong emotion, love. Through this adaptation, the viewers can experience the competitive spirit of professional hockey as well as the emotional twists and turns that the characters go through, hence offering a combination of sports action and romance.
The first season is going to consist of six episodes, where Reid’s novel will be the reference for every episode. The structure is such that it is a pinpointed adaptation that does not lose the emotional flavor of the story, besides being able to present a complete narrative arc within one season.
Creator and production
Jacob Tierney, the man behind Heated Rivalry, is very familiar with the character-based narrative, and his storytelling skills are to be credited for it. The series is a joint product of Accent Aigu Entertainment and Bell Media/Crave.
The press releases from Bell Media state that the adaptation not only recognizes through the same lens the themes of the source material but also tells the story in an interesting visual manner. Mainstream narrative is the sports and love parts, and the pacing across six episodes is very carefully done.
Cast: Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie
Shane Hollander is played by Hudson Williams, and Ilya Rozanov is played by Connor Storrie. The rivalry between the two characters, fierce on the ice but more than friendly in private, is the central theme of the series. Emotionally and narratively, both actors are taking the burden of Reid's novel and transferring it to the screen.
François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Sophie Nélisse, and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova are a few of the supporting cast.
Episodes and structure
Heated Rivalry will make its Canadian premiere on November 28, 2025, on Crave with the episode titled Rookies. International audiences outside the country will also be able to view the series on HBO Max in the U.S. and in Australia. The series will be screened in New Zealand on Sky on November 30, and in Spain on Movistar Plus+.
As it will be released across so many platforms, making it accessible to virtually anyone in the world, it has been granted a huge international audience and a big role in the growing demand for LGBTQ+ sports-romance narratives.
Even though detailed plot points have not been published, Heated Rivalry will comprise six episodes, which makes it possible to tell the story of the novel in a concise yet comprehensive way.
Heated Rivalry has also become the subject of online buzz among fans showing pre-release interest in the series through social media posts.
In short, the show is a six-part Canadian series of sports romance created by Jacob Tierney, based particularly on Rachel Reid’s novel Heated Rivalry (the second book of the Game Changers trilogy). Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie play Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, respectively.
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The series will be launched on November 28, 2025, on Crave in Canada and will also be available internationally on HBO Max, Sky, and Movistar Plus+.
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