Shine (Less) Bright
The Heated Rivalry Budget Can’t Afford Rihanna’s “Diamonds”
The show’s creator would like RiRi to call him.
Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov may get their happy ending, but their love won’t shine as bright as a diamond. Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney shared several Season 2 updates in a new round of interviews, narrowing the premiere window and confirming one major change from Rachel Reid’s book series that won’t make it to the screen.
Tierney told CBS Mornings that the show will return in “late spring” 2027, though he stopped short of sharing an official premiere date. “I don’t have an official date yet. I’m not hiding anything,” he said.
Not all of the news was so welcome. Tierney confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that Rihanna’s hit “Diamonds” won’t be used in Season 2 for “a bunch of reasons,” then quickly walked back how much he’d shared. “I answered you honestly; I just didn’t mean to,” he said. “Season 2 will not feature that song. That’s all I can say.”
Season 2 spoilers ahead. The song plays a small but sentimental role in The Long Game, Reid’s second novel about Shane and Ilya, soundtracking the couple’s first dance at their wedding.
Part of the reason comes down to money. Heated Rivalry may have become a phenomenon, but it still isn’t working with a Rihanna-level budget. “I would just also add to remind the fans this show has not changed budget. I don’t think I can afford all those diamonds, if you will,” Tierney said. He hasn’t given up hope on a favor from the singer, though. “Let me know, Rihanna!” he added.
Rihanna aside, Tierney said he’s staying true to The Long Game as he scripts the new season. He’s folding in characters from Reid’s other hockey romances that don’t center on Shane and Ilya, like Role Model, but insists he’s building that bigger world around the central couple, played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie.
“My north star in this show, because there are a lot of books in this series, is I’m focusing on Shane and Ilya, and we are tracking this relationship,” he told CBS Mornings. “There are new couples and characters that intersect with them. It’s a much more expanded universe. It’s a bigger show in that way.”
