Real life Heated Rivalry stars talk coming out to their family and teammates
“Being a baseball player, I wasn’t really comfortable with coming out yet,” said Philpott
By Aaron Sugg
Cole Philpott and Aiden Phipps have taken the internet by storm with their Heated Rivalry-coded love story – but how did they come out?
The two college baseball players spoke to Outsports about how a routine Division III baseball game between their two teams took them from sporting rivals to boyfriends.
However, much like the gay hockey romance series starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, their relationship did not come easy.
Aiden Phipps found it difficult to come out as bisexual before meeting Cole Philpott
While Philpott was already comfortable with his sexuality, coming to terms with being bisexual was more difficult for Phipps, and being in a sporting environment made it harder for him to express his identity.
As their relationship progressed, Phipps decided it was time to come out to his family.
Originally, he wanted to tell his mother in person, but during a dinner conversation he struggled to say the words, instead admitting only that he and Philpott were going to meet up as friends.
Phipps came out to his mother over the phone
Feeling anxious and overwhelmed afterwards, he told Philpott that he was “freaking out”. It was only after Philpott comforted him that Phipps found the courage to tell his mother.
He sent her a text message explaining that he was bisexual, and she responded with love and acceptance, confirming his hopes and easing his fears.
Philpott said: “I didn’t really expect it… It just kind of happened. He was just like, ‘I’m just gonna do it.’ It was really comforting to find someone who was all-in.
“It was really cool to find someone who was willing to take that step for me” – Philpott on Phipps coming out to his parents
“I knew how big of a step that was, so it was really cool to find someone who was willing to take that step for me,” he added.
Despite this major hurdle, Phipps came out to his teammates first – his relationship with Philpott gave him the confidence to do so.
“Being a baseball player, I wasn’t really comfortable with coming out yet,” Phipps said. “It wasn’t my time. I always knew. But as soon as I met him, I knew – and when he asked questions, I was like, ‘Yeah, I like guys too.’”
The pair are still together today, and as their relationship progresses, so does Heated Rivalry. Renewed for a second season late last year, Williams and Storrie are set to reprise their roles.
The release date for series two is yet to be announced. The first season is available to stream in the UK via Sky and Now.
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