Eight years after EastEnders viewers saw the death of Shakil Kazemi, actor Shaheen Jafargholi is set to return to screens in a key role in a major Canadian TV series. He has joined the cast of the second season of Crave's Heated Rivalry, an LGBTQ+ rivals-to-lovers hockey romance.
Role in Heated Rivalry season two
Season one of Heated Rivalry followed the love story between Canada's Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russia's Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) over a decade, based on the first two books of the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid. After the first season became HBO's most-watched non-animated acquisition in history, the show was renewed.
The second season will introduce characters from the third novel in the series, Tough Guy, which follows hockey player Ryan Price as he reconnects with Fabian Salah, the musician he shared an almost-kiss with in high school. Shaheen will play Fabian, opposite Canadian actor Daniel Diemer, known for his role as Tyson in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, as Ryan.
Co-creators praise the new cast
Heated Rivalry co-creators Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady from Accent Aigu Entertainment told Deadline: 'Fabian and Ryan each bring a distinctive energy to the world Rachel Reid has created. Daniel and Shaheen bring such confidence and emotional honesty to the roles. We can't wait for audiences to see what they do with Fabian and Ryan and how they make these characters their own.'
Season two of Heated Rivalry is scheduled to air in Spring 2027. News of Shaheen's casting prompted reactions from soap fans on social media, with EastEnders viewers expressing joy at his success.
Career since EastEnders
Shaheen made a significant impact during his time as Shakil Kazemi in the BBC soap. His exit came as part of a knife crime storyline, in which Shakil died after being stabbed by gang members. His funeral aired during a special episode featuring real people affected by knife crime telling their stories.
Following his exit in 2018 after two years on the show, Shaheen became a series regular in Casualty, playing Marty Kirkby until 2023. More recently, he has had roles in several TV series, including Lost Boys & Fairies, In Flight and The Agency.
