The world of Heated Rivalry is about to get considerably bigger, as Crave has announced five new additions to the cast of the hit hockey romance's second season, bringing Emily Hampshire, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees and Priyanka into the series.
Hampshire, known for her role as Stevie Budd on Schitt's Creek, will play Vanessa. Ryding, who starred in Young Royals and appeared in 28 Years Later, has been cast as Luca Haas. Naylor, whose credits include Cardinal and Mile End Kicks, will portray Wyatt Hayes. The new additions also include comedian and actor Sabrina Jalees as Farah Jalali and Canadian drag performer Priyanka as Tarek.
The announcement expands an already growing Season 2 ensemble. Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are returning as Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, while Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie are joining the series as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett, respectively. Smith and Gillespie were announced earlier this month.
The new cast members of 'Heated Rivalry'Crave*
Several of the new characters have connections to Rachel Reid's original Game Changers novels, on which the series is based. The second season is expected to draw primarily from The Long Game, Reid's follow-up to Heated Rivalry, while continuing to build out the wider world of professional hockey established in the first season.
Crave has not yet revealed how Vanessa, Luca, Wyatt, Farah and Tarek will fit into the season's central storyline, leaving their roles largely under wraps for now.
The additions come as Season 2 is already under production. Jacob Tierney is returning as creator, writer, director and executive producer, with Mike Goldbach joining him as a co-writer. Rachel Reid is also returning as a consulting producer. The series is targeting a Spring 2027 premiere on Crave in Canada, with HBO Max handling international distribution.
The first season became a breakout success for Crave, following Shane and Ilya as two rival professional hockey players whose secret relationship develops over several years.
