Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are chiming in on Heated Rivalry, Canadian streamer Crave and HBO Max’s gay hockey series that became a surprise breakout hit at the end of 2025.
The beloved pair reunited on Wednesday to host their booze-fueled annual special, New Year’s Eve Live, on CNN.
At one point during the special, Cooper admitted he felt a little strange about sleeping in Cohen’s bed that The Real Housewives franchise producer seemingly gave to him. “Just the bed frame. I didn’t give you the mattress,” Cohen clarified. “I thought it made us closer, like better brothers.”
As the two hosts bickered (very typical of the longtime friends), a laughing Cooper replied, “This isn’t Heated Rivalry.” He was referencing the megahit series that centers on two rival hockey stars, Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), who face an unexpected challenge when they develop feelings for each other, complicating their careers and the sport’s expectations.
“Ohhh Heated Rivalry,” Cohen said with a laugh before beginning to ask who of them would be the show leads, Ilya and Shane. However, he quickly answered his own question.
“Of the two of us, you’re Ilya and I’m Shane,” Cohen confidently stated. But Cooper seemed a bit confused by that assumption, replying, “What?”
This wasn’t the only time Cohen brought up the Jacob Tierney-created series during New Year’s Eve Live. Later in the night, while chatting with Grammy winner Brandi Carlile, the Watch What Happens Live host asked, “Do lesbians give a damn about the Canadian hockey gay romance series, Heated Rivalry?”
“It’s all I can think about. It’s all I can think about. I can’t even sleep at night without thinking about [the show],” Carlile quipped as Cooper burst out in laughter, nearly falling over.
Check out all of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Heated Rivarly season one coverage here.
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