Crave has officially locked in the casting for the second season of its hit series Heated Rivalry. Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie will step into the roles of Harris Drover and Troy Barrett. These characters are central to the fifth book of Rachel Reid's Game Changers series, titled Role Model. The production team confirmed that filming for the new season began this week in Canada.
Returning leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie continue their roles as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. While the first season focused on the evolving dynamic between Shane and Ilya, the upcoming season will cover the events of the book The Long Game alongside the introduction of the Harris and Troy storyline. The show serves as an adaptation of Reid's popular sports romance novels, maintaining a strong following since its debut in 2025.
Executive producers Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady noted that Smith and Gillespie demonstrated a clear connection with the characters during the casting process. They highlighted the importance of capturing the resilience and depth required for the roles of a hockey player with a history of bullying and a social media manager. The production remains a collaboration between Accent Aigu Entertainment and Bell Media’s Crave.
Fans can expect the return of the series in spring 2027. The show maintains international distribution across more than 130 countries, including streaming availability on HBO Max in the United States. With the narrative expanding to include multiple arcs from the source material, the series aims to build on the momentum established during its first season.