Jacob Tierney has strongly defended Heated Rivalry following criticism from gossip account Deuxmoi, rejecting claims that the series suffers from weak acting or a lack of plot.

Tierney created, directed and wrote the first season of the adaptation after reading Rachel Reid’s novel years earlier. His comments follow remarks made on the Deux U podcast, where the series was criticised for its performances and storytelling, alongside discussion of the personal lives of lead actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.

Speaking to Variety in an interview focused on the season finale, Tierney was asked to respond to Deuxmoi’s assessment of the show. “This show wouldn’t work if any of that were true. I mean, it just wouldn’t. Nobody would give a sh-t about this if the acting was bad, or if there was no story,” he said.

He added that the series demands close attention from viewers. “I think this is a show that actually requires you to pay attention. If you’re glib and you’re on your phone the whole time, or you’re looking to not pay attention, then God bless, and do whatever you want.”

Tierney continued by dismissing the criticism directly. “I could give a f**k what Deuxmoi’s criticism is of the show. I literally don’t even know who these people are. I don’t give a f**k what they think about anything,” he said, while acknowledging that the show may not appeal to everyone.

He also defended the cast against personal criticism. “There’s no way that these boys would be on the receiving end of the attention that they’re getting if they weren’t good,” Tierney said, describing his reaction as protective given the work involved.

The Heated Rivalry creator concluded by noting that public opinion is unavoidable, adding, “This is not for everybody, and that is A-OK.”