“Heated Rivalry ”Season 2 Newcomer Shaheen Jafargholi Says Castmates and Crew Immediately Made Him Feel ‘Safe’ (Exclusive)
“Heated Rivalry ”Season 2 Newcomer Shaheen Jafargholi Says Castmates and Crew Immediately Made Him Feel ‘Safe’ (Exclusive)
Toria Sheffield, Katie HillSat, September 26, 2026 at 9:30 AM UTC
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Shaheen Jafargholi in New York City on Sept. 22, 2026Credit: John Nacion/Variety via Getty -
Heated Rivalry newcomer Shaheen Jafargholi said joining the hit series for season 2 has been a “joy from start to finish”
Jafargholi, 29, who plays Fabian Salah, was already a fan of the show before auditioning for the role
He joins other season 2 additions including Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie and Emily Hampshire ahead of the show’s 2027 return
New Heated Rivalrycast member Shaheen Jafargholi says joining the series for the upcoming second season has been a “joy,” adding that he has felt both welcomed and “safe” by the original cast and crew.
The Welsh-born actor, 29, who plays the character Fabian Salah in the upcoming season, caught up with PEOPLE exclusively at the premiere of the new HBO series War in New York City on Sept. 22.
“It’s been a joy from start to finish,” Jafargholi says of working on Heated Rivalry. “I’m still currently doing it as we speak. Everyone there cares so much about making it the best show it could possibly be for the fans, and to be a part of that world and get to kind of step into it — has been surreal, but very, very exciting.”
Season 2 of Heated Rivalry, which will continue the storyline of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov (played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie), is set to premiere in spring 2027.
Shaheen Jafargholi at premiere of HBO’s ‘War’ in N.Y.C. on Sept. 22, 2026Credit: Arturo Holmes/WireImage
He went on to say that the cast and crew have maintained a close-knit environment on set.
“Every single person on that set cares so much about what they’re doing, and it was honestly — I don’t wanna say it was surprising — but because of how big the show is, I just couldn’t believe how small and intimate and sort of, I don’t know, safe the whole experience has felt,” he explains.
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“I’m just, I’m super, super excited for the fans to see [it],” he says.
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Jafargholi adds that he was already a big fan of the show —which was adapted by Jacob Tierney from Rachel Reid’s popular Game Changers book series — before he even auditioned to join the cast.
“I was honestly in disbelief that I was even going to tape for the part and I had no expectation, that I would end up getting it,” he recalls.
Jafargholi first gained widespread attention as a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. He later became known for playing Shakil Kazemi on the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 2016 to 2018 and Marty Kirkby on the long-running medical drama Casualty.
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in ‘Heated Rivalry’ (2025)Credit: Courtesy Bell Media
He joins season 2 of Heated Rivalry along with a host of other fresh cast members including Justice Smith, Charlie Gillespie and Schitt’s Creekalum Emily Hampshire.
Hampshire shared her excitement about being cast in the series on Instagram in August.
“Could not be more excited about joining #heatedrivalry S2. To be part of @jacob.tierney’s anything is EVERYTHING. ❤️,” she captioned the post at the time.
She included a photo of herself as a kid dressed in hockey gear on an ice rink. “And I’ve been working towards this for a while obvs. 🧊🏒 ,” she added.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
