Gay ice hockey drama ‘Heated Rivalry’ becomes a surprise hit in Russia despite anti-LGBTQ+ laws

Gay Hockey Drama “Heated Rivalry” Finds Unlikely Global Success, Including Underground Popularity in Russia

LONDON — If you haven’t heard of gay ice hockey TV drama “Heated Rivalry” and its two lead stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie yet, then get your skates on.

What began as a word-of-mouth hit in the U.S. and Canada in December 2025 has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Its stars have transformed from unknowns to cultural icons in a matter of weeks, appearing on stage at the Golden Globes, walking Milan fashion runways, and most recently, carrying the Olympic torch for the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

Based on Rachel Reid’s 2019 novel, the series chronicles the decade-long secret relationship between Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander (Williams) and Russian rival Ilya Rozanov (Storrie). The show has garnered praise for its combination of slow-building emotional intimacy and explicit romantic content.

Perhaps most surprisingly, “Heated Rivalry” has found an unexpected audience in Russia, despite the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws that make an official release impossible in the territory.

Journalist and author Mikhail Zygar, who grew up as a closeted gay man in the former Soviet Union, believes the show serves as more than entertainment. “It shows that it is OK. That people can fall in love and it’s beautiful,” he explained. “The popularity of this TV show definitely may change some perception from the broader audience.”

Despite Western sanctions limiting access to official streaming platforms in Russia, viewers have sought out the series through unauthorized channels. On Kinopoisk, Russia’s equivalent to IMDb, “Heated Rivalry” has achieved an unprecedented 8.6 rating – surpassing longtime favorites like “Breaking Bad” and “Game of Thrones” to become the highest-rated TV show of all time among Russian viewers.

This underground popularity comes amid increasingly harsh conditions for LGBTQ+ people in Russia. The community has faced mounting legal and social pressure over the past decade, with restrictions intensifying since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

President Vladimir Putin has frequently characterized the war as a proxy battle against Western values, positioning Russia as a defender of “traditional family values” against LGBTQ+ rights. Russian law now prohibits any positive or neutral depiction of gay or transgender people, bans gender-affirming care, and prevents legal gender changes in official documents.

The situation worsened in November 2023 when Russia’s Supreme Court classified what it termed “the international LGBT movement” as extremist, potentially subjecting anyone associated with LGBTQ+ advocacy to prison terms of up to six years.

“It’s really hard to believe in some kind of happy ending, as we see in the show, in Russia’s reality today,” Zygar noted. “Russia continues its brutal, aggressive war against Ukraine. There is no perspective of the end of this war. There is no perspective for a lot of LGBTQ+ people who live in Russia, and a lot of them have only the possibility to leave the country.”

Conservative forces in Russia have already targeted the show. Georgy Soldatov, who leads the Orthodox Church-aligned Sorok Sorokov center in Moscow, told The Associated Press he was “horrified” by the content and has filed a formal complaint with the Prosecutor General’s Office against those distributing it.

Russian media platforms routinely censor LGBTQ+ content. Two streaming services recently cut a transgender character from “Twin Peaks,” while another removed scenes featuring a gay character from “The Sopranos.” Dialogue referencing LGBTQ+ relationships is frequently redubbed or eliminated entirely.

The crackdown extends beyond television. Last year, Russian authorities raided a Moscow publishing house on extremism charges for books depicting LGBTQ+ relationships. Several staff members were detained, with three placed under house arrest – a case that sent shockwaves through the Russian publishing industry.

The contrast with the show’s reception in Western markets couldn’t be starker. According to Brenna Connor, an analyst at market research firm Circana, “In the five weeks ending January 10, 2026, LGBTQ+ romance sales surged more than 100% in unit sales compared to the same period the previous year, with ‘Heated Rivalry’ leading the growth.”

For Zygar, the underground popularity of “Heated Rivalry” in Russia represents a form of resistance. “It shows us that they’re trying to remain normal, they’re trying to remain resistant to the attempt of Putin’s regime to brainwash them,” he said. “They are not brainwashed; they are not ready to agree with the propaganda and with official anti-LGBT mantras. They live their life, and they watch what they want to watch.”

As “Heated Rivalry” continues its European rollout, its unexpected impact on audiences worldwide – particularly in regions hostile to LGBTQ+ rights – illustrates how entertainment can transcend borders and challenge social norms, even under the most restrictive conditions.