Cameo Controversy Escalates
Heated Rivalry Star Dylan Walsh Suspended From Cameo After Leaking Season 2 Details
Key Points
Season 2 is set to premiere in April 2027, with production already underway in Canada.
The Cameo clip Walsh posted was removed from the Cameo app after it went viral, and his profile later indicated he is stepping away from personalized videos due to the trouble.
Showrunner Jacob Tierney has repeatedly argued against long seasons, stating he doesn’t want to exceed six episodes per season and would rather pack more story into fewer episodes.
Season 2 is intended to be an adaptation of Rachel Reid’s novel The Long Game, tying the series to the Game Changers book arc.
Entertainment Weekly notes an ironic link: The Long Game includes a plot point about a video going viral on a Cameo-like app, echoing Walsh’s viral moment.
Dylan Walsh, who plays David Hollander on the hit series Heated Rivalry, is in hot water after a Cameo video in which he said the show would be "doing 12 this time" — a strong hint that two full seasons may be filming back-to-back, according to Soap Central and The Daily Beast. The clip went viral, was pulled from Cameo, and Walsh soon paused his account, writing that the video had gotten him "in trouble."
Season 2 of Heated Rivalry is already filming in Canada and is set to premiere in April 2027, per Comic Basics. The show is adapting Rachel Reid's novel The Long Game for its second run, with Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie joining as the new leads.
Walsh's Cameo Clip Sparks a Season Count Frenzy
Walsh recorded the Cameo video as a personal message for a fan. In it, he casually mentioned the production was "doing 12 this time." Heated Rivalry Season 1 had just six episodes. Twelve episodes would suggest two full seasons shot at once, according to Soap Central.
The clip spread fast on social media before being removed from the Cameo platform. Walsh later updated his Cameo profile to say he was stepping away from personalized videos. His account is now paused until August 2027, The Daily Beast reported.
Showrunner Tierney Has Always Pushed for Fewer Episodes
Creator Jacob Tierney has been vocal about keeping seasons short and tight. He has said he does not want to go beyond six episodes per season and would rather pack more story into fewer installments. That stance makes a 12-episode block look like a major shift — if Walsh's hint is accurate.
Archy Netys noted that fans quickly picked up on the math. If production is indeed filming 12 episodes, it could mean Season 2 and Season 3 are being shot together in Canada right now. No official confirmation has come from the network or Tierney.
The Long Game Novel Has a Surreal Tie to Walsh's Viral Moment
Season 2 is based on Rachel Reid's book The Long Game, part of the Game Changers series. The novel follows two hockey players and deals with themes of public exposure and media scrutiny. It is a fitting source material given the show's real-world moment in the spotlight.
Entertainment Weekly pointed out a sharp irony: The Long Game actually features a plot point in which a character's private video leaks on a Cameo-like app and goes viral. Walsh accidentally living out that storyline in real life has not been lost on fans or reporters, according to Head Topics.
New Cast Confirmed as Season 2 Builds Toward 2027 Debut
Deadline confirmed that Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie will lead Season 2 as a new central couple. They join Walsh, who returns in his supporting role as David Hollander. Production is already underway in Canada, with a spring 2027 premiere window targeted.
Comic Basics reported that an April 2027 release date is being discussed internally. Walsh's Cameo slip has only added fuel to fan excitement — and speculation — about what exactly is being filmed north of the border right now.
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