Heated Rivalry adult parody casts its Shane and Ilya for London stage show
"Expect power ballads. Expect power plays. Expect emotional meltdowns in tiny towels," reads the show's synopsis
By Aaron Sugg
DEEP-HEAT RIVALRY, an on-stage parody adaptation of the acclaimed gay hockey show Heated Rivalry, has announced its Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov.
Produced by Trevor Ashley and Paul Taylor-Mills, the adult panto will run from 11 September to 11 October 2026 at The Other Palace in London.
Announcing its hot new cast, which will bring two of the most famous on-screen queer characters of the 21st century to the stage, DEEP-HEAT RIVALRY shared its actors on Instagram.
Who will play Shane and Ilya?
Sario Watanabe-Solomon will play Shane, while Jason Leigh Winter will portray Ilya. Ross James Chisari will take on the newly created character Puck, and, in true panto fashion, Diana Vickers has been cast as The Diva.
According to the official show synopsis: “DEEP-HEAT RIVALRY follows sworn enemies Shane Hollandaise and Ilya Stroganoff – two outrageously talented, aggressively handsome hockey superstars whose on-ice clashes are the stuff of legend.”
“But behind the bruises, body checks, and barely concealed tension lies a secret neither man is prepared to face: they are madly, inconveniently, and spectacularly in love.”
DEEP-HEAT RIVALRY promises “shameless innuendo”
The synopsis continues: “With outrageous comedy, shameless innuendo, and a score that ranges from power ballad to party pop, DEEP-HEAT RIVALRY is less about hockey… and more about hooking up.”
“Expect power ballads. Expect power plays. Expect emotional meltdowns in tiny towels.”
Ashley’s Heated Rivalry parody is “loosely” based on Jacob Tierney’s hit six-part series, starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie.
The original series is inspired by Rachel Reid’s second novel in her Game Changers series, titled Heated Rivalry, which introduces characters Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov after they first appeared in the wider series alongside characters such as Scott Hunter and Kip Grady in Game Changer.
When is Heated Rivalry season 2 coming out?
The gay hockey series has been such a hit that it has not only been adapted for the stage but has also been renewed for a second season, with production set to begin in August ahead of a planned April 2027 release on Sky in the UK.