Why Hollywood execs tried to cut gay sex scenes from raunchy HBO series Heated Rivalry

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Okay, so everyone’s obsessed with ‘Heated Rivalry’ – and rightfully so! But get this – apparently, the show almost didn’t happen! I heard the suits in Hollywood were ready to kill it before the first season even aired. Can you believe it? They almost ruined perfection! Thank goodness someone fought for it, because it’s the absolute hottest thing on TV right now!

This Canadian TV show is inspired by a popular book from BookTok and tells the story of two competitive hockey players who begin a passionate, secret relationship that lasts for years.

The series features explicit gay sex scenes that almost didn’t make it to air, according to its creator, Jacob Tierney, who says some executives wanted them removed.

In an interview with Slate, Tierney revealed a network executive advised delaying the romantic relationship between the two male leads, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, until the show’s second season.

Tierney remembered responding with disbelief, saying, “Are you serious?” She explained that the books contained explicit content and questioned why anyone would attend if that were a problem, asserting that the audience was actually drawn to it and that’s exactly what they were looking for.

I’m so glad the director followed his instincts and really leaned into a more sensual style for the film. It totally paid off, and it feels so much more authentic because he trusted his vision.

‘I wanted to make premium smut,’ he joked.

Since its debut on November 28th, Heated Rivalry has quickly become a popular show on HBO Max, generating a lot of buzz online and becoming a trending topic on social media.

Because the show features relatively unknown actors and first appeared on the Canadian streaming platform Crave, its popularity has spread mainly through people talking about it and recommending it to others.

‘This is a lot freakier than I thought it would be #heatedrivalry,’ commented one viewer.

‘I’m invested in Heated Rivalry… I’m a sucker for a good romance,’ commented another one.

One viewer called ‘Heated Rivalry’ the most intense BL series they’ve ever seen, especially praising the passionate intimacy depicted in it.

Tierney recently told Rolling Stone that when he first came across the books by romance novelist Rachel Reid, he was surprised by their explicit content.

While many fans are excited about the series, some have criticized it as lacking depth and have objected to its frequent and explicit sexual content.

One viewer described the competitive reality show as awful, claiming it’s simply exploiting stereotypes for profit.

One viewer called ‘Heated Rivalry’ one of the worst shows they’ve ever watched, and expressed disbelief that it already has fans.

Critics are divided on the show, but many feel it prioritizes explicit content over substance.

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2025-12-20 03:48