‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 Cast Update: Five New Actors Join Shane and Ilya

Few shows have transitioned from streaming underdog to full-blown phenomenon quite like ‘Heated Rivalry’ did last year. The gay hockey romance quickly became a surprise sensation, and its second season has been one of the most eagerly awaited returns in queer television.

Fans have spent months gathering bits of casting news, filming updates, and social media teasers while anticipating concrete details about what season two will entail. That wait just got a little shorter, and the payoff is more exciting than expected.

Crave confirmed that five new actors are joining the cast of ‘Heated Rivalry’ for its upcoming second season: Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees, and Priyanka. This announcement comes just a week after Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie were revealed as key additions for season two, portraying Harris Drover and Troy Barrett respectively.

The new cast members bring recognizable names from various film and television projects. Hampshire, known for her role as Stevie Budd on ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ will portray Vanessa, while Ryding, who gained fame as Wilhelm on ‘Young Royals,’ has been cast as Luca Haas, a rookie player for the Ottawa Centaurs.

Naylor, with credits including ‘Mile End Kicks’ and ‘Cardinal,’ will take on the role of Wyatt Hayes, the team’s goaltender. Jalees, known from ‘Black Mirror,’ has been cast as Farah Jalali, the sports agent representing leads Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, while Priyanka, the winner of ‘Canada’s Drag Race,’ will play Vanessa’s roommate Tarek.

These characters are drawn from various parts of Rachel Reid’s ‘Game Changers’ book series, which has been the source material for the show since its inception. Vanessa and Tarek, in particular, come from the third novel, ‘Tough Guy,’ suggesting that season two may begin to weave in the love story between Fabian Salah and hockey player Ryan Price alongside the main narrative.

This expansion aligns with what creator Jacob Tierney has indicated about the season’s structure. Season two is expected to adapt ‘The Long Game,’ the direct sequel focused on Shane and Ilya, while also incorporating elements from ‘Role Model,’ the book that introduces Troy and Harris as a separate couple.

Leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their roles as Shane and Ilya, the rival hockey players whose secret relationship was central to the first season’s success. Robbie G.K. and François Arnaud are also expected to return as fan-favorite couple Kip and Scott, whose subplot became one of the most discussed aspects of season one.

Arnaud has been somewhat secretive about how much screen time his character will receive, though he has confirmed that there is more of Scott and Kip’s story to explore in the upcoming season. Given that the fourth book in Reid’s series features the couple’s wedding, fans are already speculating whether that significant milestone will be depicted on screen this time.

Season one of ‘Heated Rivalry’ quickly became a cultural talking point following its 2025 launch, gaining traction with minimal promotional effort. This kind of organic word-of-mouth success is precisely why a second season, along with a growing ensemble cast, was never in doubt once Crave renewed the series in December.

With production now in progress, fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the cast have been asked to give the crew space at filming locations. This is a small request for a show that has built such goodwill so quickly, and most viewers seem more than willing to comply while they await the return of Shane, Ilya, and the rest of Vallente’s expanding roster on the ice.

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