Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are set to carry the Olympic flame as part of the torch relay ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The Heated Rivalry co-stars have been named official torchbearers in the lead-up to the opening ceremony on February 6, placing the breakout series at the center of one of sport’s most symbolic traditions.
Details around when and where Williams and Storrie will take part in the relay have not yet been disclosed. The announcement was made by HBO Max, which holds the series’ streaming rights across the U.S., Europe, and several international territories. Sphere Abacus manages the show’s global distribution.
The relay will conclude in Milan, one of two host locations for the 2026 Winter Olympics. For the first time in Winter Games history, the Olympic flame will be lit in dual cauldrons, one in Milan, where the hockey tournaments will take place, and another in the Cortina d’Ampezzo mountains.
The casting of Williams and Storrie reflects the swift ascent of Heated Rivalry, a romance centered on rival professional hockey players whose story has struck a nerve with audiences since its U.S. debut late last year. The series has driven sustained online conversation, sparked renewed demand for Rachel Reid’s novels, and earned a second-season renewal, while pushing its leads into the wider entertainment spotlight through awards appearances and talk shows.
In a fitting bit of symmetry, a fictional Olympic rivalry from the show now finds a real-world echo, as Williams and Storrie step into the global frame just weeks before the Games begin.
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