Even Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper Obsess Over ‘Heated Rivalry’

Although hockey drama Heated Rivalry seems to be the show everyone can’t stop talking about, the author behind it still can’t believe even celebrities like Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are obsessing over the steamy LGBTQ+ program. 

While hosting CNN’s annual New Year’s Eve Live special Wednesday night, the Bravo host and CNN news anchor riffed on which character from the show they’d be. “You’re Ilya, and I’m Shane,” Cohen insisted. “What?” Cooper responded incredulously. “I’m not either of them. I’m Kip.”

Rachel Reid, who penned the Game Changers book series on which the show is based, shared the silly exchange on Instagram. “I keep thinking nothing can surprise me at this point, but…” she wrote. Actor Robbie G.K, who plays Kip, also weighed in. Tagging Cooper in a comment, he wrote, “right answer king.” 

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Later in the night, Cohen asked Grammy-award winning singer Brandi Carlile her thoughts.  “Do lesbians give a damn about the Canadian hockey gay romance series, Heated Rivalry?” Cohen asked.

“It’s all I can think about,” Carlile deadpanned, causing Cooper to double over in laughter. “It’s all I can think about. I can’t even sleep at night without thinking about [it].” 

And during a video call with late night host Stephen Colbert, an exasperated Cooper wondered if Heated Rivalry had made “everyone insane” when Colbert joked he was a “bossy bottom” in his relationship. “Is this a Heated Rivalry effect,” Cooper asked. “What is going on?”  

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The NSFW Canadian romance series, which is airing on HBO Max, follows nemeses hockey players Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) who develop a secret, steamy relationship off the ice. 

“It’s about two people learning about who they are and what their relationship is through fucking,” creator Jacob Tierney previously told Rolling Stone. “The only times they’re being honest with each other is when they’re having sex. Otherwise, it’s loads of bluster. It’s loads of pretending. It’s loads of two people who don’t, frankly, understand what they’re feeling and who don’t really get it takes a long time for their emotions to catch up to what their bodies are doing.”