In the realm of hockey romance, the excitement is on the rise once again as Crave’s series “Heated Rivalry” welcomes five fresh talents to its ensemble. Notable additions include Canadian actress Emily Hampshire portraying Vanessa, a sex shop employee; Canadian comedian and actress Sabrina Jalees as sports agent Farah Jalali; and drag queen Priyanka as Tarek, an office assistant.
Emily Hampshire, recognized for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” joins the cast alongside Sabrina Jalees, the former host of the radio and web show “Laugh Out Loud” and a writer for “Canada’s Got Talent.” Priyanka, the winner of the inaugural season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” rounds out the trio.
Also joining the lineup are Canadian actor and musician Robert Naylor as goaltender Wyatt Hayes and Swedish actor Edvin Ryding as rookie hockey player Luca Haas. Robert Naylor is known for voicing D.W. Read in the animated series “Arthur,” while Edvin Ryding starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals.”
The casting announcement was shared on Instagram by Crave, revealing that the second season of “Heated Rivalry” will continue to follow the journey of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, inspired by Rachel Reid’s “The Long Game,” the sixth novel in the Game Changer series of hockey romance novels interweaving character narratives.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are set to reprise their lead roles in the TV adaptation, embodying the characters of Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, respectively.
Season one of the series adapted the first two books of Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.” With the latest casting update, it is anticipated that the third novel, “Tough Guy,” will also be brought to life on screen, introducing characters linked to Fabian Salah and Ryan Price’s storyline.
Furthermore, the upcoming season will integrate narratives from “Role Model,” the fifth novel in the series, featuring the stories of Troy Barrett, a traded hockey player, and Harris Dover, a social media manager. Crave announced Justice Smith as Harris and Charlie Gillespie from “Julie and the Phantoms” as Troy in the recent casting reveal on August 7.
Fans can look forward to the premiere of the second season of “Heated Rivalry” in the spring of 2027.