Russell T Davies questions Heated Rivalry being billed as ‘revolutionary’

‘Queer as Folk’ creator bristled at fans comparing the hit Canadian series to his Nineties drama about gay men in Manchester
TV creator Russell T Davies has questioned the billing of Canadian phenomenon Heated Rivalry as a “revolutionary gay show”.

Appearing at a special screen talk on Monday (23 March) as part of London’s queer-focused BFI Flare film festival, the Welsh screenwriter and producer said he loved the show but sounded less convinced about just how revolutionary it was.

“I love it, it’s hot,” he said, Variety reports.

“To be honest, when people go, ‘Oh, it’s this revolutionary gay show’, I go ‘er, hello!’”
Davies, 62, said he’d seen people posting messages on social media such as, “ Queer as Folk walked so Heated Rivalry could run”, to which he responded, “We were f***ing running from the start!”
Heated Rivalry, based on the book by author Rachel Reid and created by Jacob Tierney, follows two young ice hockey players – Canadian star Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russia’s Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) – whose fierce rivalry on the ice masks a passionate and secret romance.

The show was released by Canadian studio Crave last December before arriving in the UK via HBO in January, making stars out of former unknowns Storrie and Hollander.

Davies is behind a number of groundbreaking shows, most notably Queer as Folk, his late-Nineties drama about a group of gay men in Manchester.

The show has been credited with pioneering representation for gay men onscreen.

He also created the 2015 series Cucumber for Channel 4, which explored gay relationships in the 21st century, and the Bafta-nominated 2021 drama series It’s a Sin, about the HIV/Aids crisis in the UK during the Eighties and early Nineties.

The five-part mini-series is set in Manchester and follows a gay bar owner (Alan Cumming) while also exploring the rise of far-right politics and threats to LGBTQ+ rights.

In the six-minute clip, Cumming’s character Leo discusses the state of the world with his friend, drag queen Melba (Paul Rhys).

Discussing the online hatred the bar has received for reportedly hiring trans staff, Melba says, “The president of America has given these men permission to attack us.

Leo, you’re queer in 2026, you’re a political act.”
It was announced last week that It’s A Sin is set to be adapted into a dance production , with legendary pop duo Pet Shop Boys involved in the project.

Davies will serve as executive producer on the stage show, as will Sink The Pink founder Glyn Fussell and Pet Shop Boys, whose 1978 single gave the TV series its title.

Composer Roman GianArthur will create the music, with the support of duo Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe.

Davies said in a statement: “ It’s A Sin was such a special show for me, and it's one of the greatest honours of my life to have the show transformed by Rambert into something new and exciting.”
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