The second season of the Crave hockey romance drama series will begin production this summer.

Jill Biden was outbid for a role on Heated Rivalry: ‘Guess I won’t be heading to the cottage after all’

The second season of the Crave hockey romance drama series will begin production this summer.

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

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April 17, 2026 1:29 p.m. ET

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Jill Biden; Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie on 'Heated Rivalry'. Credit:

Kevin Mazur/Getty; Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max

- Jill Biden was outbid in an auction for a walk-on role on season 2 of *Heated Rivalry*.

- "Guess I won’t be heading to the cottage after all—but it was worth a shot!" the former first lady quipped of the dreamy cottage where the show's season 1 finale takes place.

- Season 2 of *Heated Rivalry *is expected to begin production this summer.

Jill Biden is a *Heated Rivalry *fan.

The former first lady revealed that she was outbid during the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center's (known as the Center) annual Center Dinner in New York for a walk-on role on *Heated Rivalry *season 2.

"Guess I won’t be heading to the cottage after all—but it was worth a shot!" Biden wrote on X, sharing a story about her bid, referring to the dreamy lakeside cottage in the show's season 1 finale. "What a wonderful evening supporting @LGBTCenterNYC."

The event celebrated LGBTQ+ community icons and allies who have had a noteworthy impact on LGBTQ+ people, and honored *Heated Rivalry* creator, writer, director, and executive producer Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady.**

Jill Biden attends the LGBT Community Center's Center Dinner in New York on April 16, 2026.

Shutterstock for The Center

“Tierney and Brady have elevated and centered queer characters as fully realized leads whose desires, conflicts and tenderness are treated with dignity,” Dr. Carla Smith, Center CEO, said, per *Variety*. “By championing our voices, they have brought queer joy and storytelling to the mainstream media and have created work that affirms and advances our community.”

During the dinner, it was announced that a walk-on role for the show's second season would be auctioned off as a donation to the Center. Biden raised her paddle, offering $35,000 to appear on the buzzy Canadian show, but was quickly outbid. The winning offer was that of a cool $250,000 between two people who bid $125,000 each.

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams on 'Heated Rivalry'.

Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max

The evening, which also featured a silent auction of a signed *Heated Rivalry *Montreal Metros jersey going for $17,000, raised over $2 million.

*Heated Rivalry *stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, and is based on the *Game Changers* book series by Rachel Reid. The show follows rival professional hockey players Shane Hollander (Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie), who share a secret romance off the ice.

'Heated Rivalry' creator gives major update on season 2

Inside the 'Heated Rivalry' finale: Connor Storrie, Hudson Williams go behind the scenes

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Canadian streamer Crave renewed the series for a second season, which will be based on Reid's 2022 book *The Long Game.* Production is expected to begin later this summer, with a release date slated for spring 2027. As with season 1, season 2 will be distributed by HBO Max in the U.S.

Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on 'Heated Rivalry'.

Courtesy Bell Media

Season 1 of *Heated Rivalry *is available to stream on Crave and HBO Max.**

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