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Why There’s No Heated Rivalry Tonight (January 2), & When New Episode Will Release

January 2, 2026

There’s no new episode of Heated Rivalry tonight, January 2, and there’s a good reason why. 2025’s biggest surprise TV show hit is a last-minute commision by HBO Max from Crave. Unlike other adaptations, Heated Rivalry doesn’t deviate much from its source — Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series. Creator Jacob Tierney has stayed true to the books while also taking some creative liberties that have made the show more suitable on the small screen.

In Heated Rivalry episode 6, “The Cottage” — referencing Shane Hollander’s invitation to his rink nemesis to spend the summer with him in his home on the lake in Ottawa, Tierney rewarded viewers with a purely indulgent hour of TV. Clocking at 51 minutes, it was the culmination of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov’s secret affair, which was already going for almost a decade. The result is an incredibly sweet and emotional outing, leaving people wanting more of the pair.

Heated Rivalry Season 1 Is Already Over

HBO

Unfortunately, for everyone wanting more of Shane and Ilya after their conversation with Yuna and David Hollander in their cottage, it will take a lot of patience to see what’s next for them. Heated Rivalry season 1 is already finished, as it was only confirmed for six episodes. This means that “The Cottage” is the final new content for the show in a while, as Tierney goes back to the drawing board to map out the next installment for their story.

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Because of how massively successful the show had become when it landed on Crave and HBO Max simultaneously during the last week of November, Crave and HBO Max announced the renewal of Heated Rivalry season 2 before its freshman year was even over. So while there’s a significant wait between where the show left Shane and Ilya and where its next outing will see them, at least there’s a guarantee that there will be more of them in the future.

When Heated Rivalry Season 2 Will Release & What To Expect

Despite the clamor to see more of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie on their show, Tierney has already set expectations by saying that Heated Rivalry will unlikely be ready for this year. It’s because, while production for the freshman year was quite quick, he is still working on the scripts, which are a vital part of what made the show so popular for both the book readers and those unfamiliar with the source material. At this point, it’s possible the viewers are looking at early 2027 for Heated Rivalry season 2’s release.

While Tierney essentially only adapted one book from Reid’s book series, Heated Rivalry season 2 is expected to continue following Shane and Ilya, specifically their narrative in the book The Long Game. There’s some kind of expectation that other supporting characters will be introduced, as well as the return of Christopher “Kip” Grady and Scott Hunter. However, the focal point of Heated Rivalry‘s sophomore year will still be Shane and Ilya, as they navigate the ups and downs of keeping their romance a secret.