Canada's PM Mark Carney is all praise for Heated Rivalry as Hudson Williams presents him the viral fleece

The stars and creators of the breakout television series Heated Rivalry were the centre of attention at the Prime Time 2026 gala in Ottawa on Tuesday night, an event held to celebrate and promote Canada’s film and television industry.

Among those in attendance was Prime Minister Mark Carney, who met actor Hudson Williams on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony. Williams, who plays one of the closeted professional hockey players at the heart of the series, presented the prime minister with a jacket resembling the now-iconic Team Canada fleece worn by his character on the show.

Carney immediately pulled the jacket on over his black suit, drawing cheers and laughter from onlookers.

 

 

 

 

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Speaking with reporters on the red carpet, both Carney and Williams reflected on what it has meant to see a Canadian-made show achieve international success.

“I think this is a show that could only be made in Canada,” the prime minister said. “It celebrates who we are — loving who we want to love.” Williams echoed that sentiment, saying the series represents something deeply personal and national. “It makes me feel proud,” he said. “Truly, Canada is one of the only places where this show could exist.”

During the exchange, Carney revealed that he is among the millions of viewers who have tuned in to the series — though he admitted he is still catching up. “I’ve seen a couple of episodes,” he said with a laugh. “Don’t tell me what happens — I’m only on Episode 5.” Williams reacted with visible surprise, responding simply: “Woah!”

Williams' co-star, Connor Storrie, was not present at the event. 

Inside the gala, the prime minister returned to the show during his remarks from the stage, praising Heated Rivalry’s creators, showrunners and cast for its cultural reach, its distinctly Canadian identity and its LGBTQ+ storytelling.

Carney specifically commended creator Jacob Tierney for choosing to keep the project in Canada after, he said, American studios had asked him to “tone it down.”

“So Jacob did the right thing. He did the smart thing,” Carney told the audience. “He came home to Canada.” “He came home to a nation that celebrates what makes us different,” he added.

Carney also joked that because of the show’s popularity, “cottage season” would now take on “a whole new meaning,” drawing laughter from attendees. Turning more serious, the prime minister spoke about the emotional core of the series, which follows the complicated relationship between its two central characters, Shane and Ilya.

“They’re also two young men who are terrified of being their fullest selves,” Carney said. “And we live in an increasingly dangerous, divided and intolerant world, where the hard-fought rights of the LGBTQ+ community are under threat.”

The Prime Time 2026 gala marked another milestone for Heated Rivalry, which has grown from a homegrown Canadian production into one of the country’s most internationally recognized television successes — praised for both its storytelling and its unapologetically authentic voice.