You can now say “I’m coming to the cottage” and mean it for real.

The actual Canadian cottage that was featured in the HBO Max and Crave series Heated Rivalry will be available for vacation rentals on Airbnb.

The lakeside home is located in Muskoka, Canada and featured three king-size bedrooms, a cozy living room, an open kitchen, an exercise room, a dining are for 8, and a beautiful landscape. Pets are welcome!

Stays at the cottage will be available for $248.10 CAD per night, which is a nod to Shane and Ilya’s jersey numbers, 24 and 81. That price converts to about $181 USD.

Bookings for Barlochan Cottage open March 3 at 9am PT / 12pm ET.

It was just announced that the next book in the Heated Rivalry series is being delayed for an upsetting reason.

Rachel Reid is sharing an update about the status of the Game Changers series.

The author responsible for Heated Rivalry and fan-favorite characters Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander shared a statement, revealing that Unrivaled, the seventh book in the franchise, is being pushed from September 2026 to June 1, 2027 – and it has to do with her health.

Keep reading to find out more…

If you didn’t know, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“It’s beyond a dream come true,” she said of the success of the show and newfound interest in her series.

“It’s also been very, very busy and overwhelming. My life has gotten very different in the last couple of months, and although it’s all good, it’s also taken away my ability to have quality time to write.”

“When good things happen, sometimes the universe hands you some worse stuff to balance it out. For me, that’s been that my Parkinson’s symptoms have gotten a bit worse, and it’s made it difficult physically to write. So I’m definitely a lot slower, and that’s just something I need to learn how to navigate,” she revealed.

“The writing is going well. I just need a little more time,” she added, confirming that pre-orders won’t be canceled.

“There’s nothing more important to me than ‘Unrivaled’ being the best book it can possibly be. I think it’ll be better for the readers and it’ll be better for the characters,” she added.

Rachel also teased “some announcements” would be made later this week “about some things that I think people have been hoping for.”

Unrivaled will be the third book to center around Shane and Ilya’s story, following 2022′s The Long Game.

Season 2 of Heated Rivalry is expected to begin production later this year. Here’s who’s expected to return.

Connor Storrie is opening up about his relationship to fashion, reading, and what’s next for him in the entertainment industry.

The 26-year-old Heated Rivalry actor is on the cover of VMAN 56, hitting newsstands on March 16.

During the discussion, he opened up about his skyrocketing fame from the hit HBO / Crave series, as well as roles he’s interested in doing beyond the show.

Click through to find out what he had to say…

While we wait for the season two of Heated Rivalry, there are other projects from the cast to look forward to!

Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are currently booked and busy, while more of their co-stars also have other projects in the pipeline.

The stars of the show won’t be returning to set for season two until later this year, and we’ve got all the details on what else they have been up and are announced to do during the hiatus.

The main cast of the show also includes Francois Arnaud, Robbie GK, Sophie Nelisse, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Dylan Walsh and Christina Chang.

Keep reading inside to find out what’s up next for the stars of Heated Rivalry…

François Arnaud is opening up about his time on Heated Rivalry, as well as his path in the entertainment industry.

The 40-year-old actor appeared on the latest episode of Shut Up Evan, out now.

During the conversation, he addressed the hit HBO / Crave TV show, fame, and how it’s been affecting him and his co-stars, Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie and Robbie G.K.

Keep reading to find out more…

“There were moments where I thought that like something approaching this level of attention or scrutiny was going to happen,” he said, reflecting on the show’s huge success and previous projects.

“I tested for 50 Shades of Grey for instance,” he revealed. “I was like, am I ready to sign my life away in a sense? I was like incredibly fearful of of that happening…I wanted the opportunities that would come with a job like that and then being able being able to choose my projects, but never …I always like valued normalcy and real life and real relationships.”

“You know, when you’re talking about the other three [Hudson, Connor and Robbie] who are greener in their acting experience, there’s a part of me that is a bit worried for them but they’re so well equipped,” he went on to say of his co-stars.

“I mean Hudson‘s a rock star. Like unbelievably so,” he laughed.

“But I think they were just incredibly different people. I don’t think I would have been ready for that. And I’m in a way thankful that didn’t happen to me at that age, I’d probably be dead.”

François also talked about turning 40.

“I don’t think I’ve met a person at 40 who actually wants to go back to being in their 20s. Maybe they want like the face, but…I’m fine. The good thing is knowing yourself more and more…and especially when you decide that your life is to become other people, there’s so much more you can use,” he reflected. Watch above!

He was recently spotted on a dinner date with one of his co-stars.

The countdown to season two of Heated Rivalry is on!

The hit gay hockey series – based on the book of the same name by Rachel Reid – created, written, and directed by Jacob Tierney premiered on Crave and HBO Max in November 2025.

Weeks after the show premiered, stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams officially announced that Heated Rivalry had been renewed for a second season and that they would be returning as Ilya Rosanov and Shane Hollander, respectively.

It was also revealed that season two will focus on the sixth book in the series, The Long Game, which also focuses on Ilya and Shane’s story.

Based on characters featured in The Long Game, we’ve got a pretty good idea on which cast members will likely be back for season 2, and who won’t be.

Browse through the slideshow to see the expected cast for Heated Rivalry season 2…

Sophie Nelisse is looking back on filming a pivotal scene for Heated Rivalry.

The 25-year-old actress plays movie star Rose Landry in the hit Crave series and is recalling filming the episode five scene with Hudson Williams where Shane Hollander comes out to her.

In a new interview, Sophie opened up about what it was like filming that day with Hudson.

Keep reading to find out more…

“When we saw how well the audience connected to that scene and how it resonated with them, I was very touched and emotional and and happy because we all need someone like Rose in our life,” she tells the Never Offside podcast. “I mean, we all keep a lot of things bottled up inside, and I think, I mean as individuals it’s really easy to feel very isolated in our emotions and what we’re going through and feel like no one can really understand.”

“It’s hard to be the one that kind of makes the first move, because you never know how that can be perceived. And so, that she sees him for exactly who he is and loves him unconditionally is like the most generous act of human kindness that you can have,” Sophie continued. “Loving someone unconditionally. To find those people in your life that will accept you no matter what is is so precious and so special.”

As for filming the scene, she went on, “I think we both wanted that scene to feel very honest, very real. I remember, actually, we didn’t even… ‘Cause what happens usually is you’ll run the lines once, you’ll rehearse it often before actually doing a take, and I mean, Hudson and I share a very similar sense of humor where we like kind of mess around a lot and just shoot sh-t at each other. And so we kind of just did the scene and we changed almost all of the lines. We kind of just were having fun with it and we’re like bantering but we weren’t actually saying the scripted lines.”

“I remember all of the cast, the crew being like, ‘Where’s this going?’ And them being like, ‘What is this take going to look like when they start doing?’ We actually have not rehearsed,” she added. “Ran it the first time and it just felt so easy. Hudson was so generous in his performance, and just watching his inner struggle and watching him tear up and feel how conflicted he was. I mean, made me almost tear up naturally.”

“There was just this great sense of we both really listened to each other. And something that Jacob [Tierney] mentioned to us before doing the take is like, ‘Don’t be afraid of the silences, of the moments of stillness.’ I think support sometimes can actually be quite quiet,” Sophie said. “I think we just wanted it to feel as, you know, just like a river flowing and it really, it is like the magic kind of just appeared very, very naturally. Obviously, then we did more and more takes, but yeah, there was something that just felt effortless about shooting that scene seemed to the word magic definitely.”

Sophie also shared that Jacob had brought the role to her, much like Francois Arnaud, as they were originally supposed to work on another project together.

She also talked about filming the club scene on her first day on set, and even her hopes for Rose in season two.

Sophie dished that she’s talked with Jacob about maybe making her more of an on-screen presence with in-person moments between Rose and Shane, as opposed to just in text and on the phone like it is in the book.

“I think the same way I’m Hudson‘s like biggest fan and cheerleader, I want Rose to be that for Shane. I want her to be like her biggest support system. I mean, obviously with the help of his family, but like I just want her to be there and cheering him on, like still going to his games, still being that safe space that he feels like he can confined into,” she dished. “So yeah, I think they’ll stay very close and maybe she’ll be the one that he can kind of let his guard down and and share his deepest secrets with.”

If you missed it, find out the latest news on Heated Rivalry season two!

Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova just made her runway debut during New York Fashion Week!

The 24-year-old Heated Rivalry actress, who plays Svetlana, hit the catwalk during the Christian Cowan Fall/Winter ready-to-wear fashion show on Friday (February 13) in New York City.

Ksenia rocked a much different look, sporting her gorgeous curly locks straightened for the runway show, where she got her done with TRESemmé products. The night before, she wore her natural curls as she partied the night away at the Gold House Lunar New Year Celebration, which was co-hosted by her co-star Hudson Williams. See more photos HERE!

Celebs sitting front row at Christian Cowan included singers Bebe Rexha and Slayyyter, Bravo stars Emira D’Spain and Jenna Lyons, Tell Me Lies‘ Sonia Mena and Katherine Hughes, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Jonathan Cheban, Julia Fox, model Lauren Chan, Honey Balenciaga and rising singer Bailey Spinn.

If you recall, Ksenia‘s Heated Rivalry co-star Hudson Williams also recently made his runway debut at Milan Fashion Week!

Browse through the gallery to see more photos of Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova and more celebs at the Christian Cowan fashion show…

Christian Siriano is a fan of Heated Rivalry!

The 40-year-old designer debuted his Fall/Winter 2026 collection during New York Fashion Week on Thursday (February 13) in New York City.

After the models walked, Christian came out on the runway to give his bow, wearing a “Get in Loser We’re Going to the Cottage” T-shirt that featured an image of Heated Rivalry stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.

Stars at the show included Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Fox, Natasha Lyonne, Uzo Aduba, Taylor Momsen, Monica, Leslie Jordan, Monica, singer Willa Ford, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.

Reality stars in attendance included Real Housewives of Salt Lake City‘s Bronwyn Newport, Summer House alum Paige DeSorbo, and Queer Eye‘s Jeremiah Brent who attended with his 10-year-old daughter Poppy.

Backstage after the show, Christian snapped a sweet selfie with boyfriend Kyle Smith.

Find out if Christian will be returning for season 22 of Project Runway.

Click through the gallery for 50+ pictures of the stars at the Christian Siriano Fashion Show…

Dylan Walsh is reacting to the massive success and popularity of Heated Rivalry!

In the Crave series, the 62-year-old actor plays David Hollander, the father of Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams).

While speaking to Page Six, Dylan admitted that he’s completely blown away by how popular the show has become.

Keep reading to find out more…David, who has been acting for nearly 40 years, said that there have been many times in the past when “I’ll do something, I think, okay, this is going to move the dial,” and nothing happens.

At first, he admitted that he thought that Heated Rivalry would be like that.

David she he “thought it was going to be good,” but since it’s a gay romance show, he assumed it would only be popular with a “very selective kind of demographic.”

“Not because I’m narrow-minded,” he clarified, “but because I know that a good portion of the country is narrow-minded. I thought it would have a little niche audience.”

The Nip/Tuck alum went on to say that the overwhelming positive response to the show has been nice to see.

“I didn’t see it doing much, and I have to say, I’m so reassured by the response,” David said. “It makes me realize we seem backward at times, but there’s a lot more going on in this country.”

As for what has made the show success and popular, David believes that there are several factors.

“Well, first of all, it’s audacious,” he said. “I mean, it’s very bold, right?”

But, “at the end of the day,” David said that Heated Rivalry is about love.

David also recalled creator, writer, and director Jacob Tierney telling him that he wanted the actor to approach his role “with compassion,” especially in the scene where Shane reveals he’s gay.

“The wheels are spinning,” David said of Jacob‘s advice. “You have to absorb this. But there’s a kindness and a decency when this lands that I think that it, combined with how bold it is, gives a lot of people…I don’t know…it’s a feel-good show at the end of the day.”

Find out if Dylan Walsh is expected to return for season two of Heated Rivalry.

Martha Stewart isn’t jumping on to the Heated Rivalry craze with everyone else.

The iconic television personality was on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams on Thursday (February 5) when she was asked about the hockey show taking the internet by storm.

It came up that Martha likes to watch something on television when she can’t sleep, so Kay asked if Heated Rivalry might be in her queue.

Keep reading to find out more…

“I tried, I tried. It doesn’t turn me on,” she admitted, then laughed. “That’s not my stuff.”

As for what is her stuff? MobLand.

Martha says she loves the British crime drama, calling it the “best thing on TV in 2025″ and paying particular praise to stars Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, and especially Tom Hardy.

She recently revealed whether or not she has ever had plastic surgery!

A newly resurfaced TikTok video of Hudson Williams has fans talking!

If you didn’t know, before landing the role as Shane Hollander on Heated Rivalry, the 24-year-old actor worked as a server at the restaurant The Old Spaghetti Factory in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

After becoming an overnight sensation following the release of the smash hit Crave series, a TikTok of Hudson dancing with his former coworkers is going viral.

Keep reading to find out more…In the video shared on TikTok, Hudson is wearing an all-black server’s uniform as he and his coworkers dance to “BOP” by Big Boogie, DJ Drama, and GloRilla.

The video was posted by the account @spaggers, which appears to be The Old Spaghetti Factory’s TikTok, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. In the account’s bio, it reads, “Restaurant where Hudson Williams used to work.”

The video they posted of Hudson already has over 5.4 million views, 1.3 million likes, and 94K+ saves!

If you didn’t see, Hudson stripped down to a jockstrap in new magazine shoot.

You can watch the resurfaced video of Hudson Williams dancing at his old job HERE!

Hudson Williams‘ friends are speaking out!

In a new interview, friends of the 24-year-old Heated Rivalry reflected on his fame, and what he was like before his sudden superstardom – including his jobs waiting tables at an Italian restaurant and working on indie shorts – as well as watching the show with him and his mother.

Keep reading to find out more…

One friend who spoke out is Zack Fonzovs, who he met in 2021 when Zack was looking for a lead for one of his shorts.

“I said to him, ‘You’re going to bite off her finger and suck it like it’s the blood of Christ.’ It’s a very profane moment, and he (Williams) just looked at me like he was ready to bite her finger right then and there. After that, I was like, ‘Oh my god. He’s so passionate.’ I could just tell by how willing he was and how hungry he was,” he recalled to USA Today.

“To hear the whole world have opinions of my boy, it’s weird,” he added.

Hudson also directed and co-starred in his own first project, Snow Angel.

“He’s a tremendous, tremendous producer,” Zack said.

Hudson released four of his short films on a YouTube channel.

His Langara College Film Arts’ program coordinator Jonas Quastel called him “fresh-faced lad with a great attitude.”

“He wants to do interesting stuff. He doesn’t want to fall into the pretty boy situation. He wants to do cutting edge things. I see him on the track like Johnny Depp, like Keanu Reeves. I see him doing edgy things and mainstream things.”

Another friend, Mark Masterton, said after Heated Rivalry he returned to Vancouver and “was immediately making more things with us. He never stopped to blink. He was already back into the indie world because he just loves making movies.”

“When you see Hudson in Heated Rivalry, he’s a shy, reserved character in Shane, and a lot of people are seeing him steamy with his clothes off, but it comes as no surprise at all to me…because literally every film project I’ve worked with him, he’s been semi-naked,” he said.

“Of our group of friends, he always seemed like a shining star and he was the one to watch. He just had this raw talent that you knew was going to go the whole way,” Mark also added.

Mark also recalled a Heated Rivalry watch night Hudson had with friends and his mom.

“He wanted to share that moment with us all. I was feeling really awkward, like, ‘Oh my god, I’m so excited to see him, but I really hope it’s good because otherwise…you’re going to have to watch Hudson in the show and pretend it’s good.’ But we didn’t have to do that because it was genuinely awesome,” he told USA Today.

He said that the party attendees all had noisemakers, and each time an explicit scene came on the screen, they’d toot their horns.

One of the friends would also lean over and cover his mom’s eyes!

Mark also talked about how life is now, and maintaining friendship with Hudson.

“Just a few weeks ago, we were out playing pickleball, getting our a–es handed to us by these middle-aged men and nobody had a clue who they were dealing with. I’m obviously cheering him on from afar and letting him know how proud we are, but I’m arranging the next pickleball day, because we need to get our reputation back on.”

Hudson recently “liked” a comment that went viral, and there are some new details about Season 2.

Jacob Tierney is talking about how Heated Rivalry will continue.

The creator of the series spoke out in a new interview, sharing his most current plans about what the next season(s) of the show would look like based on the Rachel Reid books.

All of the Game Changer books, including the upcoming Unrivaled, have been optioned, so there’s plenty of opportunity to tell different stories in different forms, from potential spinoffs to one-off specials.

Keep reading to find out more…

When asked if he’ll split The Long Game into one season or two, Jacob didn’t give a clear answer. However, he said he doesn’t think there needs to be more than six episodes per season.

“I don’t need to do 10,” he told LA Times.

“I would always rather tighten the belt than get loosey-goosey…I would rather be like, ‘Let’s see how much story we can pack into these episodes.’”

Jacob will also direct the episodes himself, but will bring on a co-writer for Season 2.

He teased that while the show centers around Shane and Ilya (played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie), there will “absolutely” be “diversions” to other characters from the books.

“Just like you can’t tell the story without Scott Hunter, you can’t really tell the story without Troy Barrett,” he said of a character not yet introduced on the TV show.

And as for casting rumors and speculation about big names joining the cast, he said: “We need Canadian talent, and we love Canadian talent. It’s not a burden, but it’s also something we literally have to do to get our financing.”

If you missed it, one of the actors recently sent the Internet into a tizzy after liking a comment about his “GF and BF”!

Hudson Williams is playfully engaging with fans!

The 24-year-old Heated Rivalry star, who plays Shane Hollander on the series, recently shared a series of photos and videos from his travels recently.

At the end, he shared a much-buzzed about clip of his co-star Connor Storrie, who plays Ilya Rozanov, and an unnamed woman sharing an ice cream together.

Keep reading to find out more…

Amid speculation in the comments that the woman featured in the carousel is Hudson‘s real-life girlfriend, and whether or not he just “hard launched” the romance on his main account, Hudson “liked” a particularly cute comment that noted: “HIS GF AND BF.”

At the same time, Hudson also sweetly showered his co-star in praise on his most recent Instagram recently, writing: “YELLOW FOR SUNSHINE BC U ARE MY SUNSHINE.”

See the photos and comments inside…

Hudson recently addressed speculation surrounding his personal life amid reports. He also just got a “leg up” on the Canadian Prime Minister!

Connor Storrie and Francois Arnaud are hitting up the 2026 Grammys after-parties!

The Heated Rivalry co-stars arrived at an after-party held at Chateau Marmont on Sunday night (February 1) in Los Angeles.

For the party, Connor, 25, sported a gray suit over a gold-colored tank shirt while Francois, 40, wore a black leather jacket over a black sheer shirt paired with sunglasses.

The duo’s outing comes less than 24 hours after it was announced that Connor will be hosting Saturday Night Live later this month!

Last week, Connor and Francois were in Paris for Fashion Week where they attended the Saint Laurent show alongside co-star Robbie G.K.

Fans have been wondering about Connor and Francois‘ dating lives for the past couple weeks, with many speculating that they could be an item. In response to said rumors, Francois had a pretty epic response to a question about his dating life.

Click through the gallery inside for 20+ pictures of Connor Storrie and Francois Arnaud arriving at the party…

Hudson Williams‘ charm knows no bounds!

The 24-year-old actor playfully threw his leg over Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at an In Conversation With Heated Rivalry Series Creators event hosted on Thursday (January 29) in Ottawa, Ontario.

Series creator Jacob Tierney, executive producer Brendan Brady, and co-star Sophie Nélisse all took pictures together on the red carpet of the event, hosted at The Westin Hotel Ottawa.

Keep reading to find out more…

Hudson gave the Canadian PM a fleece with maple leaves, as the politician declared to the actor: “Do the leg thing!” And so, Hudson threw his leg over him! Watch the moment.

He later referred to Hudson as his “new best friend,” and praised the show for being made in Canada, a place which “celebrates what makes us different,” via The Guardian.

“They’re also two young men who are terrified of being their fullest selves. And we live in an increasingly dangerous, divided and intolerant world and the hard-fought rights of the 2SLGBTQI+ community are under threat,” he went on to say.

“I’m a politician, I’m not above taking credit for the Canadian funding that helped you share this story with the world. I greenlit this thing. I stood up to the Americans,” he joked.

Hudson also just broke the Internet with a steamy photoshoot.

Heated Rivalry fans, we’ve got even more glimpses of what went down on the set while filming the show’s first season!

The Crave / HBO Max series is currently preparing to film its second season.

The show stars Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams, François Arnaud and Robbie G.K.

Keep reading to find out more…

While we await further details, Zinka Tuminski, a hairstylist and wig expert in the film and TV industry in Canada, whose credits include Heated Rivalry, The Long Walk and Anne with an E, shared a new glimpse behind-the-scenes of filming the first season on her social media.

“Some of my favourite moments from working on Heated Rivalry. On location in Toronto and Hamilton,” she explained in the caption.

“Whoever took this picture of me touching up Connor. Thank you. I love it! These guys are the sweetest ! I loved working with all of them #HairHOD. #heatedrivalry #hudsonwilliams #connorstorrie #francoisarnaud”

If you missed it, Connor is reacting to a new-viral video of himself!

Hudson Williams is opening up about several recent viral moments!

The 24-year-old Heated Rivalry star has been making waves over the past few months since the show debuted, and has gone viral on social media quite a few times.

A new, steamy photo shoot just dropped of Hudson for Wonderland magazine, and for the feature, he was interviewed by co-star Sophie Nelisse.

In the interview, the actor dished on the whirlwind of sudden fame he’s been going through, actively choosing to forge his own path outside of the show, separating himself from co-star Connor Storrie and much more.

We’ve gathered the best highlights from the interview right here!

Keep reading inside to see what Hudson Williams shared in his latest interview…

Hudson Williams is breaking the Internet!

The 24-year-old Heated Rivalry star appears on the cover of the latest issue of Wonderland Magazine, and he already crashed their website!

The actor stripped down in a pool for the steamy shoot, which also includes a sultry set-up eating a banana.

Keep reading to find out more…

For the cover story, he sat down in conversation with co-star Sophie Nélisse to discuss his sudden fame that he’s experiencing alongside co-stars Connor Storrie, François Arnaud and Robbie G.K..

Hudson also played Camera Roll Roulette, sharing stories behind photos.

“This is Charli xcx and Omar [Apollo], and we’re all just having a cigarette at the Golden Globes. Sentences I never thought I’d f–king utter in my life. It is so obnoxious, but they’re really cool people, and I was just happy to be there,” he explained of a photo with himself and the two stars. Watch him play the roulette game inside!

Hudson Williams also shared his body hair preferences in a very detailed explanation.

The stars of Heated Rivalry are heating up Paris Fashion Week with an appearance at the Saint Laurent fashion show.

Connor Storrie, Francois Arnaud, and Robbie G.K. were all in attendance at the YSL event on Tuesday night (January 27) in Paris, France.

Missing from the group was co-star Hudson Williams, who was just in Italy over the weekend with Connor to carry the Olympic torch.

One night before the fashion show, Connor and Francois were pictured stepping out together after attending a party in Paris. They have been the subject of romance rumors for the past couple weeks and Francois had a pretty epic response to a question about his dating life.

Browse through the gallery for more photos from the Saint Laurent fashion show…

Heated Rivalry stars Connor Storrie and Francois Arnaud are heating up Paris Fashion Week!

Connor, 25, and Francois, 40, were spotted leaving a party together on Monday night (January 26) in Paris, France.

The co-stars, who play Ilya Rozanov and Scott Hunter on the Crave/HBO Max series, are in town for fashion week and posed for a selfie inside the event with an industry insider.

Connor is in Paris just one day after carrying an Olympic torch with co-star Hudson Williams in the town of Feltre, Italy.

In Italy, ​​Heated Rivalry will be broadcast from February on HBO Max, just in time for the winter Olympics.

Earlier this month, Connor and Francois were spotted catching a flight from New York City to Los Angeles together.

In a new interview, Francois gave an epic answer about his relationship status.

FYI: Connor is wearing the Asha Mock Neck Tee in White from AGOLDE.

Browse through the gallery for more photos of Connor Storrie and Francois Arnaud in Paris…

Heated Rivalry season two is still a ways away, likely at least a full year from now.

However, an executive at Bell Media, the Canadian company that owns streamer Crave where the show was made, is speaking out about the possibility of a standalone episode before then!

Keep reading to find out more…

In a newly released interview about the hit show, Bell Media’s vice-president of content development and programming Justin Stockman said they would love to do a standalone ep or special if creator Jacob Tierney could work that out.

“We’re going to see what’s feasible. 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,” Justin told Toronto Star. “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.”

Many fans have reacted to this news with the hopes of the “Heated Rivalry” book’s “epilogue prologue,” as author Rachel Reid describes it, being adapted for the special, standalone episode.

In that portion of the book, which is at the end after the prologue, Shane and Ilya host a dinner at Shane’s house with his teammate and best friend Hayden Pike and his wife Jackie. It takes place three weeks before the epilogue. Learn more about it here!

Jacob also addressed the reaction to season one and working on season two with the Toronto Star.

“This isn’t what any of us expected and I’m endlessly grateful for it. But it’s the kind of noise that I have to drown out to make the next two seasons,” he said. “I have to keep trusting myself. I have to keep doing what I did in the first place. That’s the way you’re going to get a good season two. It’s important for me to go back to what I love about this and remember the story I’m telling.”

“Next two seasons”? It was previously revealed that Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie originally signed on for three seasons of the show, though a third season has not been officially announced.

However, fans have speculated “The Long Game,” which will be the focus of season two, could be split into two seasons, OR, Rachel is currently working on a third Shane and Ilya book, which could be turned into season three!

Gus Kenworthy is opening up about watching Heated Rivalry.

The 34-year-old Olympic skier came out publicly just over ten years ago recalled his viewing experience of the hit television show in a new interview.

While he admitted he didn’t quite understand why the show was so talked about at first, that all changed for him when he watched the third episode, “Hunter,” which switched focus to another couple in the Game Changers universe – Scott Hunter (Francois Arnaud) and Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.).

Keep reading to find out more…

“At first, I didn’t understand the big deal. It was fun to watch, but it was sort of smut. I honestly thought, ‘All these thirsty gays! Y’all are just horny.’ Like, you could watch porn? People kept telling me, ‘Just wait — it tugs on the heartstrings.’ And then it did,” Gus told The New Yorker (IYKYK).

“The third episode changed things for me,” the athlete continued. “I actually wrote a message to the show’s creator [Jacob Tierney] because I was so moved, and didn’t expect to be. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen myself reflected onscreen like that, in such a substantial way. The parallels are kind of insane. I also had a secret relationship with these clandestine meetings and hookups. And Miley Cyrus was my own Rose [Sophie Nélisse], this famous person that I was suddenly linked to, and as much as I kind of wanted it — because that’s the person you would want to be with if you’re straight, someone successful and beautiful and talented — it’s not the same as when you’re with a guy.”

“And then the Scott Hunter character — I really related to him. He wanted to be out, but really, just truly felt like he couldn’t be, because of his circumstances. That was me for so many years. I had the same yearning — to be in love, to be public, and to not have to hide,” Gus said.

The silver medalist is heading back to the Olympics soon, where he will compete for Team Great Britain, and he teased he’s free for season two of Heated Rivalry!

“You know, I played hockey through high school. I can skate, and I know how to handle a stick,” Gus joked.

Recently, a real-life hockey player came out as gay and cited the show as his inspiration to speak out. Star Hudson Williams even sent him a sweet video message!

Connor Storrie is only now grasping the immense popularity of Heated Rivalry.

The show’s creator, Jacob Tierney, recently conducted an interview with the Toronto Star about the Crave / HBO Max’s show’s runaway success, and provided a status update on the “very offline” 25-year-old actor, who plays Ilya.

“We just saw Connor on Saturday,” he began.

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“He’s very offline in a healthy way and he was like, ‘I think it just hit me how big this show is.’”

“On Friday, he was driving around L.A. and saw a lineup that was like four blocks long to get into a Heated Rivalry rave,” Jacob explained.

“I was like, ‘It wasn’t when you presented at the Golden Globes?’ No, it was that (lineup) that really shocked him.”

Jacob also addressed speculation about a standalone episode to tide fans over before Season 2.

“This isn’t what any of us expected and I’m endlessly grateful for it. But it’s the kind of noise that I have to drown out to make the next two seasons,” he said.

“I have to keep trusting myself. I have to keep doing what I did in the first place. That’s the way you’re going to get a good season two. It’s important for me to go back to what I love about this and remember the story I’m telling.”

At the same time, he just carried the torch alongside co-star Hudson Williams for the 2026 Winter Olympics!