The UK debut of the hit Canadian series Heated Rivalry has sparked a mix of celebration and confusion among its passionate fanbase, with viewers noticing the show appears to be running slightly faster than the original North American version.
Fan Concerns Over Pacing and Pitch
The series, which follows the intense romantic relationship between ice hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), launched on Sky and NOW on Saturday 10 January 2026. While excitement was high, some eagle-eyed fans quickly took to social media to point out a subtle alteration.
Several viewers reported that the dialogue and action seemed "sped up" and slightly higher-pitched. This technical change also resulted in shorter episode runtimes. For instance, the UK's first episode clocks in at 47 minutes and 51 seconds, compared to the original Canadian broadcast which ran for over 49 minutes.
This led to direct questions to the broadcaster, with one fan asking on X: "You tell the truth - why have you pitched up/sped up the eps?" Another queried: "Have I lost my mind or is Heated Rivalry on Sky slightly higher pitched?"
Broadcaster Assurance and Technical Explanation
Ahead of the launch, Sky had moved to reassure fans that the show's content remained intact, specifically addressing concerns about its explicit scenes. The broadcaster stated on X: "No cuts. No edits. (we know you were worried about that one...)"
The explanation for the perceived speeding up lies in a long-standing technical practice for broadcasting American and Canadian television in the UK. Programmes in North America are typically produced at 24 frames per second (fps), while the UK's broadcast standard is 25 fps.
To conform to the UK's PAL broadcast system, the footage is played back at a marginally faster speed. This minor adjustment accounts for the shorter runtime and the subtle change in audio pitch that some viewers have detected. It is a standard process for many imported shows, though it is more noticeable to dedicated fans familiar with the original version.
Availability and Fan Reaction
Despite the technical discussion, the overall reception to the show's UK arrival has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans on social media enthusiastically declared it was "time to join the cult" of the popular drama.
All six episodes of Heated Rivalry are available to watch now on Sky and its streaming service, NOW. The series, which first debuted in North America in November 2025, has built a substantial and vocal international following over the past two months, culminating in its highly anticipated British premiere.
