The world of hockey romance is abuzz with excitement as Crave’s series, “Heated Rivalry,” welcomes five new cast members. Joining the show are Canadian actress Emily Hampshire as 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 is celebrated for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” while Sabrina Jalees is known for her work on “Laugh Out Loud” and “Canada’s Got Talent.” Priyanka made waves by winning the first season of “Canada’s Drag Race.”
Additionally, Canadian actor and musician Robert Naylor will play goaltender Wyatt Hayes, and Swedish actor Edvin Ryding will portray rookie hockey player Luca Haas. Naylor is recognized for voicing D.W. Read in “Arthur,” and Ryding starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals.”
The casting news was shared on Instagram by Crave, revealing that season two of “Heated Rivalry” will continue the story of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov from Rachel Reid’s novel “The Long Game.”
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are set to reprise their roles in the TV adaptation as well. The first season of the series covered the initial two books in Reid’s series, “Game Changer” and “Heated Rivalry.”
With the new cast additions, it is likely that the third novel in the series, “Tough Guy,” will also be brought to the screen. Vanessa and Tarek are characters associated with Fabian Salah, the love interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”
Furthermore, the upcoming season will incorporate the stories of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s new team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth novel, “Role Model.”
Justice Smith has been announced as Harris and Charlie Gillespie, known for “Julie and the Phantoms,” will portray Troy. The second season of “Heated Rivalry” is set to premiere in spring 2027.