Heated Rivalry author reveals hit TV series' success has helped source Parkinson's treatment

Thanks to the success of the hit TV adaptation of Heated Rivalry, its author has been able to afford specialist Parkinson's treatment, she has revealed.

Canadian show Heated Rivalry, which tells the story of a same-sex relationship between two ice hockey players, has become one of the most popular shows around since first premiering in November 2025.

Its popularity has been so staggering, in fact, that it has allowed the author of the book series it has been adapted from to seek specialist medical treatment.

Rachel Reid, who published her first novel in the series in 2018, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2023, around the time she was first approached for the Heated Rivalry adaptation.

Now, in an interview with Variety, the author has revealed that she was contacted by a Parkinson's expert after series creator and director Jacob Tierney spoke about her diagnosis in a TV interview.

"I've never gotten to talk to a Parkinson's expert," she explained. "I've been on a five-year waiting list here because I live in a very small place. Now [Tierney]'s found me a Parkinson's expert, a neurologist, and I have an appointment in a couple weeks.

"That could change things for me because I'm not really getting the treatment that I should be getting. He also told me how to change my medication so I can sleep because I never slept.

"That change made me sleep through the night, which really helps with writing."

In the same interview, Reid discusses how Parkinson's has affected her ability to write, explaining that "I can barely control a mouse. I can't type for very long. It's hard for me to sit in a chair for very long," before adding that she is looking at "new ways to write."

Heated Rivalry launches on Sky and streaming service NOW on Friday 10th January. Add the series to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

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