Fans of Heated Rivalry can officially celebrate — creator Jacob Tierney has confirmed that Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov will be back for a second season.
The HBO romantic sports drama, which follows the intense and complicated relationship between rival professional hockey players Shane (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya (portrayed by Connor Storrie), is gearing up for its next chapter.
@heatedrivalrycrave They were just babies back then! 🥹 #HeatedRivalry ♬ original sound - 😟
Appearing on CBS Mornings on February 26, Tierney revealed that production plans are already moving quickly. Speaking to Gayle King during a joint interview with executive producer Brendan Brady, he shared: “We start shooting in August.”
He added: “We’re writing it now. We’re getting ready to start shooting this summer. There will be more Heated Rivalry on your TVs, like, truly, as soon as humanly possible.”
While filming is set to begin later this summer, viewers will need to exercise patience before the new episodes land. Season two is currently scheduled for release in April 2027, giving the production team time to complete what has quickly become one of HBO’s most talked-about romantic dramas.
The show, which chronicles the long-running rivalry-turned-romance between two elite hockey stars competing at the highest level of the sport, struck a chord with audiences for its blend of high-stakes competition and emotional vulnerability. Its depiction of a same-sex relationship within the traditionally hyper-masculine world of professional hockey also sparked widespread conversation.
Tierney admitted he had not anticipated the scale of the show’s success. In fact, the series’ future once looked uncertain. “We didn’t know we were going to sell this show,” he confessed. “We didn’t know anyone was going to watch it. I had not written a second season. I did not know I was going to get a second season. But it’s all happening.”
@heatedrivalrycrave Everyone give some love to Jacob Tierney in the comments! ❤️🔥 #HeatedRivalry ♬ original sound - Heated Rivalry
A major turning point came when HBO acquired the series just one week before its premiere — a late-stage deal that significantly boosted its visibility and credibility. The unexpected pickup helped propel Heated Rivalry into the cultural conversation almost immediately after launch.
For Tierney and his team, the challenge now is building on that momentum. With season one laying the emotional groundwork between Shane and Ilya — from locker-room tension to private vulnerability — expectations for the follow-up are high. The dynamic between the two characters, both fiercely competitive athletes navigating fame, pressure and identity, became central to the show’s appeal.
The announcement of season two also signals continued confidence from HBO in character-driven romantic storytelling within the sports genre — an area that has historically been underexplored on mainstream television.
Heated Rivalry, the six-part hockey romance drama, is available to watch in Ireland on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW (with the Entertainment Membership).
