Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie and Shane and Ilya. (Sabrina Lantos/HBO)

It’s safe to say that the hype for Heated Rivalry season two is sky-high as filming gets underway, but fans of the frisky sports drama have been urged to temper their excitement around the cast and crew.

Production for the ice hockey romance’s sophomore outing is officially underway in Toronto, Canada, with show stars Conor Storrie and Hudson Williams reprising their roles as secret lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander respectively.

With filming taking place in public locations and Storrie and Williams now bona fide superstars, show bosses have urged fans to give both the show’s stars and crew the “space they need” to carry out filming.

“To our incredible fans and everyone who’s been sharing in the excitement for the show,” a statement shared on Heated Rivalry‘s offcial social media accounts reads.

“Your support, enthusiasm, and kindness have meant the world to us. As we gear up for more Heated Rivalry, please help us make it the best it can be.

“If you happen to come across one of our filming locations, please give our cast and crew the space they need to do what they do best.

“We promise it’ll be worth the wait.”

In a February interview with the Los Angeles Times, series showrunner Tierney confirmed that fans can expect season two of Heated Rivalry to arrive in spring 2027.

“As much as I appreciate how rabid and interested people are at this point, the first season worked because I trusted my gut with this, and I’m going to do that again,” he said.

Heated Rivalry is the second book in author Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series of gay ice hockey erotica. Season two of the show is set to focus on the sixth book in the series;, The Long Game.

Released in 2022, The Long Game returns to Shane and Ilya’s love story ten years after the events of Heated Rivalry. While they are still together, the pro sportsmen are still publicly closeted.

“Ten years. That’s how long Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been seeing each other. How long they’ve been keeping their relationship a secret. From friends, from family… from the league,” reads an official synopsis of the book.

“If Shane wants to stay at the top of his game, what he and Ilya share has to remain secret. He loves Ilya, but what if going public ruins everything?”

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