Emily Hampshire Joins Heated Rivalry Season 2 as Vanessa
Emily Hampshire will step in front of the camera for Season 2 of Heated Rivalry as Vanessa, a sex toy reviewer and friend of Fabian Salah. The Crave/HBO Max hockey romance has added the actor to its ensemble, meaning its core group of returning and new regulars, for its next run. The casting was confirmed by Deadline on 8 October 2026.
Vanessa is already on the page. She appears in Tough Guy, the third book in Rachel Reid's Game Changer series behind the show. In the television version, her friend Fabian Salah is played by Shaheen Jafargholi.
The announcement solves a small mystery from Season 1. Hampshire's name appeared under "special thanks" in the finale credits. She was the voice in the episode "Olympians" heard as an awards-show announcer calling Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander to the stage. Connor Storrie plays Ilya and Hudson Williams plays Shane.
The link is creator Jacob Tierney. He and Hampshire are longtime friends and collaborators. Hampshire said she read his Heated Rivalry script before anyone else did. She appeared in his first short film and in all of his films, as reported by AOL. Tierney returned the loyalty in life. He got ordained online and performed Hampshire's wedding ceremony.
Hampshire is widely known for the fan favourite comedy Schitt's Creek and for The End of Sex, as noted by Out. Her move into Heated Rivalry puts a familiar face into a new locker-room world. It is a visible role. No booth this time.
Season 2 is already in motion. Production began in Canada in August. The new season is set to premiere in spring 2027. That gives the team time to finish the shoot and post-production.
Hampshire is one of many additions. The Season 2 intake also includes Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie, Daniel Diemer, Edvin Ryding, Robert Naylor, Sabrina Jalees, Priyanka, Brendan Morgan, David Tomlinson, Gerry Dee, Michelle Mylett, Lauren Chan and Nick Stahl. Jalees plays sports agent Farah Jalali, according to CBC.
What makes this stand out is the path. A brief voice part becomes a named character with work, friendships and a book past. For viewers, that credit at the end of Season 1 now reads differently.
