The original version is different, so here’s the real reason Heated Rivalry is sped up in the UK

Since Heated Rivalry finally released in the UK earlier this week, loads of people have noticed that the episodes seem sped up, so here’s the real reason why.

People have been buzzing about the super-steamy show ever since it first came out. But after the UK release, viewers quickly spotted something odd. The episodes feel slightly faster, the voices sound a bit higher, and the runtimes are a little shorter than the original Canadian version of Heated Rivalry. Naturally, people went straight to social media to ask what on earth was going on.

Ahead of the release, Sky reassured viewers that there would be “no cuts” and “no edits”. However, people soon realised that the UK version didn’t quite match what North American viewers had already seen.

One person asked on X, “You tell the truth, why have you pitched up/sped up the eps?” while another said the show sounded “slightly higher pitched”.

So, what actually happened?

Heated Rivalry. All episodes. Tomorrow.

No cuts. No edits. (we know you were worried about that one…) pic.twitter.com/lYB8zMZ2T7

— Sky TV (@skytv) January 9, 2026

Basically, Sky addressed concerns before the show even released in the UK, posting on X, “No cuts. No edits. (We know you were worried about that one…).” This was mainly to reassure viewers that none of the show’s very explicit scenes had been censored for British audiences. And to be clear, nothing has been removed.

That said, episode one on Sky and NOW runs for 47 minutes and 51 seconds, while the original Canadian episode ran for over 49 minutes.

So if nothing was cut, why is it shorter? Because the show has been slightly sped up in the UK.

So, why is Heated Rivalry sped up in the UK?

You tell the truth – why have you pitched up/sped up the eps?

— EmmaG (@falleninfandom) January 10, 2026

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According to The Independent, TV shows in North America are made and broadcast at 24 frames per second. In the UK, however, television is broadcast at 25 frames per second. That small difference means that when North American shows are adapted for UK broadcast, they are often played back slightly faster to match British standards.

Basically, the entire episode runs a bit quicker. This makes the runtime shorter and the audio sound slightly higher in pitch. That’s why it feels like everything has been sped up, even though nothing has actually been edited out.

This has been happening with imported TV shows for years. But Heated Rivalry viewers are only really noticing it now because they’re comparing it so closely to the original release.

Despite the complaints, Heated Rivalry has been a huge hit in the UK, and if you’ve watched it, you’ll know exactly why.

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