‘Heated Rivalry‘ has triggered a fresh backlash in Russia, as a powerful Orthodox Christian organisation moves to involve state authorities over its availability on streaming platforms.
The controversy is regarding the Canadian romance, which is a globally popular show that has now drawn criticism for its storyline and themes. The campaign now heads straight toward state regulators, and the next step could decide the series’ fate inside the country.
Russian Orthodox Christians Take Issue Regarding ‘Heated Rivarly’ Scenes To The Authorities
Sorok Sorokov, a Russian Orthodox Christian organisation that campaigns for traditional values, has announced plans to petition the Prosecutor General’s Office and the national media regulator Roskomnadzor. Now, the group is demanding that the Canadian TV series, Heated Rivalry, be banned from all Russian streaming services.
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Chairman Georgy Soldatov addressed the issue in comments to Abzats Media and questioned how the series ever appeared on Russian platforms. He said it was difficult to understand how such content passed regulatory checks.
Soldatov described Heated Rivalry as a show where the main characters openly propagate pederasty. He also criticised the series for containing explicit same-sex scenes and argued that the timing made the issue even more serious. Russia already faces a mortality rate higher than its birth rate, he said, and on top of that, allowing young people to see what he called propaganda of unnatural debauchery only deepens the problem.
Russians Are Breaking The Law To Watch ‘Heated Rivalry’
Even as calls for a ban grow louder, Heated Rivalry has become a genuine sensation in Russia. Since its release in November, the Canadian romantic sports drama has emerged as one of the biggest TV hits of 2026, drawing viewers despite strict LGBTQ+ propaganda laws. Internationally, the response has been overwhelming, and earned the show a 9.1 rating on IMDb and a 98 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
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That enthusiasm has spilled into Russia as well. Telegram has also played a major role in the show’s spread. Fan channels dedicated to Heated Rivalry have drawn massive interest, some reaching more than 34,000 subscribers. Exact numbers remain hard to verify, but the scale of engagement suggests the series has firmly broken through Russia’s censorship barriers.
Russia’s so-called “gay propaganda” law first appeared in 2013 under the justification of protecting children. Lawmakers expanded it in 2022 to cover all ages, introduced fines of up to 400,000 rubles for individuals and up to 5 million rubles for organisations that engage with or promote LGBTQ+ content. Despite those risks, fans continue to access Heated Rivalry through several channels.
