In the realm of hockey romance, there is exciting news as Crave’s series “Heated Rivalry” welcomes five new additions to its cast. Emily Hampshire, a prominent Canadian actress known for her roles in “Schitt’s Creek” and “12 Monkeys,” will portray Vanessa, a sex shop employee. Sabrina Jalees, a Canadian comedian and actress, will take on the role of sports agent Farah Jalali, while drag queen Priyanka will play Tarek, an office assistant.
Joining the lineup are Robert Naylor, a Canadian actor and musician known for voicing D.W. Read in “Arthur,” as goaltender Wyatt Hayes, and Edvin Ryding, a Swedish actor who starred as Prince Wilhelm in Netflix’s “Young Royals,” as rookie hockey player Lucas Haas.
The casting announcement was shared on Instagram by Crave, revealing that season two of “Heated Rivalry” will continue the love story of hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series. Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will reprise their leading roles in the TV adaptation.
The first season of the show adapted the initial two books in Reid’s series. With the new cast additions, it is anticipated that the third novel, “Tough Guy,” will also be brought to screen. Vanessa and Tarek are connected to Fabian Salah, the romantic interest of hockey player Ryan Price in “Tough Guy.”
Furthermore, the upcoming season will incorporate the narratives of Troy Barrett, a hockey player traded to Ilya’s team, and Harris Dover, a social media manager, from the fifth book, “Role Model.” Justice Smith has been cast as Harris, and Charlie Gillespie from “Julie and the Phantoms” will portray Troy.
Fans can look forward to the premiere of season two of “Heated Rivalry” in the spring of 2027.