Heated Rivalry season 2 gets bigger with major cast returns

Heated Rivalry season 2 is set to bring back several familiar faces alongside leads Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, expanding the returning cast for the HBO Max series.

François Arnaud and Robbie G.K. will return as Scott and Kip, the fan-favourite couple connected to Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander. Sophie Nélisse is also returning as Rose, Shane’s former girlfriend and close friend.

Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova will reprise her role as Svetlana, Ilya’s longtime friend and occasional romantic partner. Christina Chang and Dylan Walsh are also returning as Shane’s parents, Yuna and David.

The season 2 returning cast further includes Callan Potter as Hayden, Shane’s best friend and teammate, Benjamin Roy as JJ and Kamilla Kowal as Hayden’s wife, Jackie.

The returning actors join previously announced newcomers Justice Smith as Harris, Charlie Gillespie as Troy, Daniel Diemer as Ryan, Shaheen Jafargholi as Fabian and Emily Hampshire as Vanessa. Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees and Priyanka will also appear in the new season.

The first season of Heated Rivalry was based on Rachel Reid’s novel of the same name from her Game Changers series. Season 2 will primarily adapt Reid’s sixth book, The Long Game, while incorporating elements from Role Model.

The Long Game follows Shane and Ilya after they have secretly maintained their relationship for 10 years. Ilya wants to make their relationship public, while Shane fears that doing so could affect their careers.

Created by Jacob Tierney, Heated Rivalry is produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Bell Media’s Crave. Tierney returns as writer, director and executive producer, with Mike Goldbach serving as co-writer for season 2.

The second season will continue the story of Shane and Ilya as they navigate their relationship, professional ambitions and the pressures of keeping their romance private.