After Heated Rivalry became the most surprising hit of the year in 2025, creator of the show Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady are opening up on the overwhelming response fans have given to the show. Speaking at the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on March 5, Brady and series creator Jacob Tierney reflected on how deeply the show has connected with viewers since its debut.
Speaking about the love fans have given to the show, Tierney spoke about “how the show has made [fans] feel seen or improved a relationship in their lives.” Talking further he added,
“They say really, really beautiful things to us. I don’t think I can think of just one thing, but we’re on the receiving end of a lot of love from a lot of people. And it’s very meaningful.”
He then listed cookies, bracelets and blankets as some things fans have gifted to the show’s team, adding that the show has been “lucky” to have received such a response.
Of course, the gifts haven’t always been entirely conventional. Brady joked that a few fan contributions have been decidedly not safe for work, drawing laughter during the conversation. Still, the overall message from fans has remained overwhelmingly positive.
More details about Heated Rivalry
Since its debut in late 2025, Heated Rivalry has quickly transformed from a niche sports romance adaptation into one of the most talked-about television shows of the year. The Canadian sports drama blends romance and erotic storytelling with sports, rivalry and a narrative of two hockey players who are rivals but behind closed doors they are so much more.
The series follows rival hockey captains Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, whose competition on the ice hides a complicated, secret relationship that develops over years.
Originally releasing on Crave, the show became a worldwide hit and was later taken on by HBO Max. But beyond critical acclaim, Heated Rivalry has also delivered impressive streaming numbers as the series became the most-watched original production on Crave, and internationally, it has performed strongly on HBO Max, where it quickly rose near the top of the platform’s viewing charts in several countries.
The success of the first season has already secured the future of the series as a second season is currently in development and is expected to premiere in 2027.
Heated Rivalry is available to stream on HBO Max.
Edited by Nibir Konwar