Heated Rivalry: How a hockey TV show inspired me to come out

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Two stories about on-screen romances, and what happens when they meet real life. Jesse Kortuem grew up in Minneapolis, in a neighbourhood where ice hockey was central to the community. With three older brothers already playing the sport, Jesse was on the ice from the age of three. During his teenage years, the ice hockey locker room was a place of homophobic slurs, which contributed to complicated feelings about his own sexuality. For years, he felt he couldn't be both a gay man and an athlete. So he 'edited' himself within the sport and hid his sexuality from his teammates in the amateur ice hockey league he played in. That is until 2025, when the surprise smash hit TV series Heated Rivalry - a gay love story, set in the world of ice hockey - exploded into the zeitgeist. With no big budget, and no big names - it become one of the most talked about shows of the year. Jesse watched as ice hockey fans from various backgrounds cheered on the show, hoping that the characters were given a Cinderella story ending. One viral social media post later, Jesse felt a seismic shift about who he could be, on the ice. Minh Thu and Truc Nhu were two contestants of the reality show, The Bachelor Vietnam. For them, it wasn't what they saw on the screen that led them to be open about their sexuality - but what happened behind the camera. The two women were competing for the affections of the 'bachelor' but instead found love with each other. Emily Webb spoke to them down the line in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019. Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Elena Angelides Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707 (Photo: Jesse Korteum stands on an outdoor ice hockey rink, wearing a jersey of an LGBTQ+ team and association for the sport. Credit: Courtesy of Jesse Kortuem)