‘Heated Rivalry’ Execs Giving Jacob Tierney “The Time He Needs To Make Another Beautiful Season” Of The Ice-Hockey Drama

EXCLUSIVE: Execs at the streamer behind Heated Rivalry would love for the show to get back on the ice as soon as possible, but they’re giving creator Jacob Tierney all the space he needs to get the play right.

Bell Media senior execs Justin Stockman and Carlyn Klebuc told Deadline that Season 2 of the gay ice hockey breakout drama is still scheduled to return to Canadian streamer Crave in spring 2027, with production set to begin later this year. HBO and a host of international networks and streamers are already on board.

The pair were talking to Deadline ahead of Bell’s upfront today, where a new series starring Heated Rivalry‘s Robbie G.K. was unveiled among 118 originals for the 2026/27 slate.

Stockman, Bell’s VP of Global Content, has previously teased a bonus episode of Heated Rivalry could fill the gap between Heated Rivalry Season 1, which launched in late 2025, and the second run, but there’s no word on that right now. As for Season 2, “The scripts are coming together really well and I don’t think anyone will be disappointed,” said Stockman.

Klebuc, Bell’s General Manager of Original Programming, admitted, “We would have liked it faster, but Jacob is writing and directing, and he needs the time to make another beautiful season, which we’re confident he will do.”

As audiences and internet fans eagerly wait for the show, gobbling up any update, Klebuc noted that “compared with something like Euphoria, which took years and years, this is pretty quick turnaround.”

Stockman added that Season 1, which was moved up in the schedule from a February 2026 launch to festive season 2025 as hype built around the show, was still being edited while it was on air, and that just this week it had resurfaced on Crave’s interface in the top ten.

“People are still discovering Season 1, but by the time it comes back hopefully the gap doesn’t feel that long and excitement will hopefully erase the months of waiting,” he added.

Last week, we were first with the news that Accent Aigu Entertainment, the Heated Rivalry production house that Tierney runs with Brendan Brady, had restructured with a new-look management team. That saw Tierney become Chief Creative Officer and Brady CEO, with several other promotions and hires unveiled at the same time.

There’s still no official word on casting for Season 2, but Crave is hopeful the cast will return. The show, which follows the secret love affair between professional hockey players Ilya and Shane, stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in the lead roles. The likes of François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Sophie Nélisse and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova also star.