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Heated Rivalry 'getting season 3 and a Christmas movie', but there's a catch
Two major stars could be missing from a developing story if reports are true
Sabrina Lantos / Sky
- Tilly Pearce
Published: Sunday, 8 November 2026 at 12:59 pm
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Heated Rivalry is reportedly set for a third season – as well as a Christmas movie.
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The Canadian series, which stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie as star-crossed hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, has become an international phenomenon since its release in November 2025.
Currently, only season 2 has been officially announced by Crave – the Canadian streaming service who created it.
However, according to Deadline, the team has been secretly working on filming the third season at the same time as the second, with a Christmas feature-length film reported to begin production this December.
While it's not known what the special will be about, it's noted that Rachel Reid, who created the book series on which the show is based, has written short story titled "Merry Christmas, Scott and Kip!", which follows the titular characters (played on-screen by François Arnaud and Robbie G.K.) as they celebrate their first holiday season as an out couple.
The report claims that Williams and Storrie will not be part of the Christmas special if it goes ahead.
Hudson Williams' Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie's Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry Sabrina Lantos
Season 2, set to be released some time in Spring 2027, has been confirmed to run for six episodes by showrunner David Tierney, with Crave noting to the site they have "no projects to confirm" beyond that.
But the new report backs up long-held theories that seasons two and three were being made simultaneously, after cast member Dylan Walsh, who plays Shane's dad David Hollander, appeared to let it slip online.
In a video on Cameo, a service for personalised clips from celebrities, Walsh shared to a fan he was “getting ready to go back up to Canada and shoot some more episodes. I think we’re doing 12 this time.”
The clip, sent in August, was then shared online and resulted in him freezing his account, leaving a note that read: "Stepping away because a video went viral that got me in trouble.”
He later said in a statement to Variety: “I was speaking off the cuff in a Cameo and should not have speculated about the production schedule or episode count.
“I don’t have any official information to announce, and I’m sorry for creating confusion for the production and the fans.
“My Cameo account is paused for now. I’m incredibly grateful for the enthusiasm surrounding Heated Rivalry and proud to be part of the series.”
François Arnaud as Scott Hunter in Heated Rivalry Sabrina Lantos
The Heated Rivalry series is based on Rachel Reid's novel series, but is notably being told out of order – with the titular book being the first TV season, but second book in the series.
It's been confirmed season two will follow book six, The Long Game, which is a continuation of Shane and Ilya's love story.
However, it's also been announced that Justice Smith (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) and Charles Gillespie (One Night Only) will be joining the cast as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, the couple who take centre stage in the fourth book, Role Model.
Scott and Kip were also introduced in season one as secondary characters, and quickly became fan favourites, but in the books they were the central characters of the first story, titled Game Changers.
Heated Rivalry season 1 is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW. You can sign up to Sky TV from £15 a month.
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Authors
Tilly PearceFreelance Writer
Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.
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