Highlights
- Heated Rivalry was submitted to the 2026 International Emmys but landed zero nominations, a Bell Media rep confirmed.
- The UK led with 14 nods as 64 nominees across 16 categories and 22 countries made the cut without the hockey hit.
- The Canadian series was already barred from the Primetime Emmys but won 16 Canadian Screen Awards and a Peabody.
Heated Rivalry just got checked into the boards. Again.
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has unveiled the 2026 International Emmy nominations, with fan-favourite series Heated Rivalry missing out despite being submitted. A Bell Media rep confirmed that it had been submitted, so nobody can blame a lost envelope.
This is the show’s second awards-season face-plant. It was not eligible for Primetime Emmy consideration because it was a Canadian commission with no US production partners.
A Television Academy spokesperson said back then that the series was “only eligible to enter the International Emmy competition.”
Creator Jacob Tierney summed up the problem on CBS Mornings: “This was a Canadian book. We’re Canadian producers.”
Turns out being Canadian wasn’t enough either.
The Academy announced 64 nominees over 16 categories, with 22 countries included. The UK led all territories with 14 nominations, followed by Brazil with nine and Spain with five.
Drama slots went to the UK’s A Thousand Blows, France’s Carême, Argentina’s Menem and India’s Real Kashmir Football Club. No Shane. No Ilya. No cottage.
International Academy CEO Bruce L. Paisner insisted the race is “as competitive as ever.” Clearly.
The snub lands harder because Heated Rivalry wasn’t some sleeper. It was “a phenom” both internationally and in the U.S., where it ran on HBO Max.
Its trophy shelf is hardly empty. At the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, the show took home 16 awards including best drama series and best lead performer, drama series, for Hudson Williams. It also won a 2026 Peabody Award and the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New TV Series.
Fans are coping. One commenter on Deadline‘s nominations post shrugged that “it will always be an iconic show.”
Next up: Season 2, which has cast Milla Jovovich, Kevin Zegers and Paul Gross. Meanwhile, winners will be announced at the 54th International Emmy Awards Gala in New York on Monday, Nov. 23.
