The Heated Rivalry drought is almost over — and fans believe they’re about to be fed. ICYMI, rumors have been swirling about Season 2 of the mega-popular show based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series — including theories that Season 2’s episode count is double Season 1’s. So, will there be 12 episodes of Heated Rivalry Season 2? Here’s why fans think so.
The Canadian gay hockey series took the entire world by storm in 2025, garnering roughly 8 to 9 million views per episode, and Episode 5, “I’ll Believe in Anything”, becoming IMDb’s highest-rated television episode of 2025. Season 1 mainly focused on the love story between Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), as well as the connection between Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.), but Season 2 is set to expand the Heated Rivalry universe even more: On Aug. 7, it was announced that Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie will join the cast of Heated Rivalry, playing Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively. “Rachel Reid has given us two beautifully layered characters in Harris and Troy who you can’t help but root for,” showrunner Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady said in a press release.
Between Ilya and Shane, Scott and Kip, and Harris and Troy, there is a lot of material to cover in Season 2 of Heated Rivalry. But that’s not the only reason fans think they’re getting a whopping 12 episodes of the show this time around. In fact, it was a cast member who might have spilled some major tea.
In a Cameo sent by Dylan Walsh (who plays Shane’s father in the show), he let a fan in on some behind-the-scenes details of Season 2. “Getting ready to go back up to Canada and shoot some more episodes,” Dylan said in the video, which was then posted to TikTok by the user @theawkoturtle. “So, I think we’re doing 12 this time.” Oh?!
But before you get too excited about double the episodes in Season 2, creator Jacob Tierney previously confirmed that Season 2 of Heated Rivalry would only have six episodes. And while that could just be a decoy to keep an extra six episodes under wraps, it could also point to a fan theory that the show is filming Seasons 2 and 3 back-to-back — six episodes for Season 2, six episodes for Season 3. After all, both Williams and Storrie are currently signed on for three seasons of Heated Rivalry — and while the third season hasn’t been publicly greenlit, that doesn’t mean the season isn’t in production privately.
So, whether fans are getting 12 episodes of Heated Rivalry, or two seasons back-to-back, or a secret third option, I know I’m not complaining. April 2027 cannot come soon enough, y’all.