Swansea-born Britain's Got Talent star Shaheen Jafargholi will join the cast of the second season of Heated Rivalry. The series, which originated on the Canadian streaming platform Crave and is distributed in the UK by Sky and Now TV, has drawn wide praise from critics and audiences since it aired in late 2025.
Two new additions for spring 2027
The streamer has confirmed that the second season of the LGBTQIA hockey drama will return in spring 2027 with two new cast members: Shaheen and Daniel Diemer, best known for starring in Disney's Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
The pair join Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie, Justice Smith, and Charlie Gillespie in leading roles. Shaheen will play Fabian Salah and Daniel will play Ryan Price in the series, which is based on the book of the same name by author Rachel Reid.
Creators praise new cast members
Heated Rivalry co-creators Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady said: "Fabian and Ryan each bring a distinctive energy to the world Rachel Reid has created."
"They are bold, complicated, and deeply compelling characters and finding actors who could really take on all of those different sides was so important to us."
"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."
From BGT to EastEnders and Casualty
Shaheen first gained national attention with his 2009 Britain's Got Talent audition. Although he did not win, finishing sixth behind victorious dance troupe Diversity and Susan Boyle, the audition propelled him into the international spotlight.
Following his BGT appearance, Shaheen went on to further success and developed a friendship with Michael Jackson. In September 2009, after Jackson's death, Shaheen performed I'll Be There at the Mobo Awards. This led to an invitation to perform at Jackson's memorial service at the Los Angeles Staples Center in July that year.
Shaheen joined the EastEnders cast in 2016 as Shakil, the son of Carmel Kazemi, played by Bonnie Langford. His character featured in numerous prominent storylines, including a relationship with Bex Fowler (Jasmine Armfield), links to gang crime, and eventually a stabbing which led to his character's death.
After leaving EastEnders in 2018, Shaheen moved into another continuing drama, Casualty, taking on the role of nurse Marty Kirkby. His character featured in significant storylines such as revealing his sexuality to his parents, having casual encounters with strangers, and being diagnosed with HIV.
Most recently, the actor appeared in the BBC mini-series Lost Boys and Fairies as Celyn. He posted on social media: "Working on this show felt so bloody good for so many reasons. The fact that it was made and set in Wales was one of them."
He continued: "So grateful to @dafjameswrites for letting me be a part of his story and to live vicariously through 'Celyn'. A job I will never forget."
The first series of Heated Rivalry is available to watch on Sky and Now TV.
