Gus Kenworthy Reflects on Life's Parallels with 'Heated Rivalry' and LGBTQ+ Sports Advocacy
January 26, 2026
Kenworthy discusses a training shift with a safety-first coaching approach and aims to perform advanced tricks to contend for podiums.
Heated Rivalry streams on Crave in Canada, HBO in the US, and Sky/Now TV in the UK, reflecting its international distribution and growing attention.
Olympian Gus Kenworthy discusses parallels between his life and the fictional Heated Rivalry, including a past relationship with Miley Cyrus that mirrored the show’s storyline before he came out as gay.
He weighs in on broader LGBTQ+ sports issues, advocating for inclusivity and safety while acknowledging the complexity of policy debates around transgender athletes.
Public attention around Heated Rivalry’s stars, including an Olympic torch moment in Italy, ties the drama to ongoing Olympic coverage and discourse.
He now represents the United Kingdom at the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking an evolution in his public identity within LGBTQ+ visibility.
Kenworthy emphasizes a long-standing desire to be out, to love openly, and to live publicly, contrasting this with pressures to hide his identity.
The piece highlights themes of self-acceptance, public scrutiny, and the varied timelines of coming out among public figures.
The series has gained traction on social media and in media outlets, with HBO Max and Crave Canada among its platforms.
The show’s broader impact includes encouraging messages from closeted athletes across sports and shifting conversations about masculinity in athletics.
The program has spurred anonymous messages from closeted athletes in hockey, football, and baseball, signaling its cultural reach.
Heated Rivalry centers on queer athletes and the challenges of coming out and being publicly visible in competitive sports.
Summary based on 16 sources
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Sources

The New Yorker • Jan 25, 2026
Gus Kenworthy Lived an Olympic Version of “Heated Rivalry”
The Times Of India • Jan 26, 2026
Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy opens up about being linked to Miley Cyrus and his hidden life
