5 New Stars Join ‘Heated Rivalry’ — Wyatt Hayes Finally Revealed!
Heated Rivalry Season 2: Everything You Need to Know About the New Cast and What’s Coming
ELI5 Alert: This article explains everything like you’re 5 years old! No confusing TV industry jargon—just the fun stuff you actually want to know.
What Is Heated Rivalry Anyway?
Think of Heated Rivalry like a really good hockey romance novel that came to life on your TV screen. It’s based on a popular book series called Game Changers by Rachel Reid.
Season 1 gave us:
- Two rival hockey players: Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie)
- They started as rookies who couldn’t stand each other
- Secret fling → years of love, denial, and figuring themselves out
- It adapted Book 2 of the series (Heated Rivalry) plus bits of Book 1 (Game Changer)
Big News: Five New Stars Join Season 2!
The show just announced five awesome new cast members joining the team. Here’s the lineup:
| New Cast Member | You Might Know Them From |
|---|---|
| Emily Hampshire | Schitt’s Creek (Stevie!), Marvel’s VisionQuest |
| Edvin Ryding | The Young Royals, 28 Years Later |
| Robert Naylor | Mile End Kicks, Cardinal |
| Sabrina Jalees | I Used to Be Funny, Black Mirror |
| Priyanka | Drag Brunch Saved My Life, Meet Me Next Christmas |
They’re joining the returning favorites:
- Hudson Williams (Shane)
- Connor Storrie (Ilya)
- Justice Smith
- Charlie Gillespie
Who’s Playing Who?
Here’s the character cheat sheet for the new faces:
| Actor | Character | What We Know |
|---|---|---|
| Emily Hampshire | Vanessa | New character! |
| Edvin Ryding | Luca Haas | New character! |
| Robert Naylor | Wyatt Hayes | BIG DEAL — starting goalie for the Ottawa Centaurs in the books! |
| Sabrina Jalees | Farah Jalali | New character! |
| Priyanka | Tarek | New character! |
Mystery Solved: Fans have been guessing forever who would play Wyatt Hayes — a super popular character from the books. Now we know: Robert Naylor got the part!
What Story Will Season 2 Tell?
The show’s creator, Jacob Tierney, spilled the beans on the plan:
Season 2 = Two Books at Once!
| Book | Title | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Book 6 | The Long Game | Continues Shane and Ilya’s story |
| Book 5 | Role Model | Introduces a brand new couple |
The New Couple: Harris & Troy
- Justice Smith plays Harris Drover
- Charlie Gillespie plays Troy Barrett
- They’re the main couple in Role Model (Book 5)
- This means two love stories happening at the same time!
When and Where Can You Watch?
Mark your calendars:
SPRING 2027 — That’s when Season 2 drops!
Where to watch (HBO Max):
- United States
- Australia
- Europe (except UK, Ireland, Spain, Turkey)
- Latin America
- Asia: Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Nepal, Sri Lanka
Not included: UK, Ireland, Spain, Turkey — they’ll likely have a different broadcaster (probably the original home, Crave in Canada).
Behind the Scenes: Who’s Making the Magic?
| Role | Person/Company |
|---|---|
| Production Company | Accent Aigu Entertainment |
| Commissioned By | Bell Media’s Crave |
| Funding Help | Canada Media Fund |
| Creator/Writer/Director/EP | Jacob Tierney |
| Executive Producers | Brady & Jayme Alter Wilson |
| Producers | Lori Fischburg & Liane Cunje |
| Consulting Producer | Rachel Reid (the author!) |
| Season 2 Co-Writer | Mike Goldbach |
Fun Fact: The actual author of the books (Rachel Reid) is a consulting producer — so the show stays true to the source material!
IMPORTANT POINTS — DON’T MISS THESE!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Five new cast members confirmed for Season 2 — all with impressive resumes!
- Robert Naylor = Wyatt Hayes — the mystery is officially solved.
- Two books, one season — The Long Game (Shane & Ilya) + Role Model (Harris & Troy).
- Justice Smith & Charlie Gillespie play the new central couple (Harris & Troy).
- Premiere: Spring 2027 on HBO Max in many regions (check the list above!).
- Rachel Reid (author) is involved as consulting producer — book accuracy FTW!
Quick Summary
Heated Rivalry Season 2 is shaping up to be twice as good — continuing Shane and Ilya’s journey while introducing a brand-new couple (Harris & Troy). With five talented newcomers joining the cast, the Wyatt Hayes casting mystery solved, and a Spring 2027 premiere locked in, fans have a LOT to look forward to. The show stays in good hands with the original creator and even the book author on board!
FAQ — Your Burning Questions Answered
1. Do I need to read the books to understand Season 2?
Nope! The show does a great job on its own. But if you want to read ahead, Season 2 covers Book 5 (Role Model) and Book 6 (The Long Game).
2. Will Shane and Ilya still be main characters?
Yes! Book 6 (The Long Game) continues their story, so they’re definitely still central.
3. Who are Harris and Troy? Are they in Season 1?
Nope, brand new! They’re the couple from Book 5. Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie are playing them starting in Season 2.
4. Why isn’t the UK on the HBO Max list?
The show is a Crave Original (Canada). In the UK and some other regions, it’ll likely air on a different platform — stay tuned for local announcements!
5. Is Emily Hampshire playing a funny character like Stevie?
We don’t know yet! Vanessa is a new character. But given Emily’s comedy chops, we’re hoping for some great lines!
Stay tuned for more updates as Spring 2027 gets closer!