Everyone’s riding the Heated Rivalry wave, including Russell T. Davies, who recently had nothing but great things to say about the hit series.
In a new interview with El Pais, the Queer As Folk creator remarked on the current television landscape. Particularly, he expressed gratitude for programs targeted toward younger audiences, and that are more pleasant in tone.
How about we take this to the next level?
Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today
“I’m glad that LGBTQ+ stories like Heated Rivalry and Heartstopper have happy endings,” Davies said. “But I can’t seem to write them… Thanks to those shows, I don’t necessarily need to.”
A lot of Davies’ shows reflect a darker time for the LGBTQ+ community. Queer As Folk, in both its original British and 2000s American iterations, reflected a time post AIDS crisis and pre-marriage equality. It’s A Sin, which aired on Channel 4 in the UK and HBO Max in the US, was a limited series that followed a group of queer friends in the ‘80s and ‘90s during the AIDS crisis.
Though Davies is a fan of Heated Rivalry, he previously admitted that he holds his own body of work in higher regard. During London’s queer-focused BFI Flare film festival, which was held back in March, Davies responded to fans saying that Queer As Folk walked so Heated Rivalry could run.
“We were f*cking running from the start!” Davies said.
Related
Heated Rivalry crew asks nosy fans to kindly puck off during Season 2 production
Don’t crash the set!
After a buzzy first season, Heated Rivalry began production on its second season earlier this month. The second season, which is based on series of gay hockey-themed romance books, will follow Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya (Connor Storrie) as they grow, both in their careers, and in love together.
But casting for the second season has already garnered some major backlash, most notably with character Harris Drover, who will be played by Justice Smith. In the books, Harris is described as a more heavy-set man, and Smith’s physique has been the subject of controversy, particularly with fans who were hoping for representation of bigger queer men.
Rachel Reid, the author of the Heated Rivalry series, has since taken to her Instagram Story to respond to the backlash.
“Thinking about all the people last summer who told me the casting for Ilya and Shane was wrong and bad,” she wrote.
Heated Rivalry is set to premiere on Crave and HBO Max in April 2027.
But while fans wait, they can get more acquainted with Davies’ work. Davies’ latest series, Tip Toe, just received an international release via HBO Max.
The psychological thriller follows neighbors Leo Struthers (Alan Cumming) and Clive Goss (David Morrissey) as they deal with the detrimental effects of anti-LGBTQ social media rhetoric in the online space. Over the course of five episodes, Leo and Clive’s friendship is put to the test, as a series of events unfolds and affects both of their lives.
Check out the trailer below.
Related
Justice Smith responds to fan reaction to his Heated Rivalry casting
“I am honored to play a character you all care about deeply and i promise i will take good care of him…”
Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.
