Month: December 2022

  • Six new Hallmark movies coming to TV in February

    Six new Hallmark movies coming to TV in February

    Six new Hallmark movies are coming to television in February, including a new installment in the Curious Caterer Mysteries. Hallmark’s Loveuary lineup includes four new romantic-comedy and two new mysteries.

    New Hallmark movies

    First up is Sweeter Than Chocolate, starring Eloise Mumford, Dan Jeannotte, and Brenda Strong. In the movie, an investigative reporter visits a bakery in a small town that is rumored to have found the secret recipe for love.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck4ZNG4P2lA/

    Actor Dan Jeannotte is becoming a regular on the Hallmark Channel. During 2022 Countdown to Christmas, he starred in the movie The Royal Nanny. On his Instagram account, he posted a photo of the cast with the hilarious caption, “As you can see, no one had any fun at all making The Royal Nanny.”

    A Paris Proposal

    Next up is a romantic comedy set in Paris. In A Paris Proposal, Alexa PenaVega stars as Anna, an account manager for a New York advertising agency. She is thrilled when she gets the chance to land a major account in Paris for her company, but annoyed when she finds out she must make the pitch with her annoying co-worker Sebastian (played by Nicholas Bishop).

    When they arrive in Paris, a misunderstanding leads the clients to believe Anna and Sebastian are married. The clients are so excited by the prospect of having a real-life couple in charge of the creative vision for their brand that Anna and Sebastian are forced to play along.

    Valentine, Nebraska

    Next up is Valentine, Nebraska, starring Kathryn Davis and Markian Tarasiuk. It’s a week away from Valentine’s Day and Olivia (Davis) loses both her boyfriend and her job in the same week. Her sister convinces Olivia to come home for an extended trip. Olivia’s roommate in New York has a friend, George (Tarasiuk), who’s driving out to Los Angeles and agrees to take Olivia to her destination – which is exactly halfway between New York and California – in exchange for a free night’s stay in her hometown.

    According to a synopsis from Hallmark, “The two strangers set out on the open road, both on their way to being who they think they’re supposed to be. When George’s car breaks down mere miles from Olivia’s hometown, he has to stay a few more days in Valentine, Nebraska with Olivia and her sister. After spending so much time together, the two realize that their priorities might have changed, and love is what truly matters.”

    Made For Each Other

    In Made For Each Other, Alexandra Turshen plays a sculptor who uses magic to create her ideal man. Things are going well until she realizes she is falling for her friend (played by Matt Cohen). The movie also stars Aaron O’Connell and Ileana Douglas.

    Curious Caterer: Grilling Season

    In Curious Caterer: Grilling Season, Nikki DeLoach returns as caterer Goldy Berry. After her friend Susie dies under mysterious circumstances, Goldy teams up with detective Tom Schultz (played by Andrew Walker) to figure out who killed her.

    A Nashville Legacy

    A Nashville Legacy is the latest in Hallmark’s Mahogany series.

    Andrea Lewis stars as Naima, a museum curator and Ph.D. candidate who is fascinated by her grandmother’s stories of Nashville in the 1950s. While doing her research, Naima meets a handsome volunteer, who turns out to be the heir to a music company fortune.

    The schedule:

    Sweeter Than Chocolate will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 4 at 8/7c.

    Curious Caterer: Grilling Season will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Sunday, February 5 at 9/8c.

    A Paris Proposal will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 11 at 8/7c.

    Valentine, Nebraska will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 18 at 8/7c.

    Made For Each Other will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, February 25 at 8/7c.

    A Nashville Legacy will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Sunday, February 26 at 9/8c.

  • Hallmark believes its new TV series The Way Home will be a fan favorite

    Hallmark believes its new TV series The Way Home will be a fan favorite

    Hallmark’s new TV series, The Way Home, will premiere in January, and the network already believes it has landed on a story that will resonate with fans.

    “We know the compelling, heartfelt journey of the Landry women and the series will draw in viewers and is sure to become a new fan favorite,” said Laurie Ferneau, senior vice president of development at Hallmark Media.

    The Way Home is the first new Hallmark has introduced since 2016, when it premiered the family drama Chesapeake Shores. The series will star Andie MacDowell, who previously headlined Hallmark’s TV series Cedar Cove.

    New TV series

    In The Way Home, MacDowell will star as Del Landry, the matriarch of the Landry family and a pillar of the community in her small Canadian farming town. According to a synopsis from the network:

    “She and her daughter Kat have been estranged from each other following tragic events that left their family forever changed and prompted Kat to move away. When Kat unexpectedly returns many years later with her teenage daughter whom Del has never met, the three generations of women embark on an enlightening journey to find their way back to each other and learn important lessons about their family’s past.”

    Sadie Laflamme-Snow, Alex Hook, and Andie MacDowell in The Way Home. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Sadie Laflamme-Snow, Alex Hook, and Andie MacDowell in the new Hallmark TV series The Way Home. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    The series is being written by the mother-daughter team Heather Conkie and Alexandra Clarke. The pair, who wrote the script for the Disney Channel movie Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars, have also collaborated on the award-winning series Heartland.

    Canceled shows

    In recent years, Hallmark canceled all but one of its TV shows, much to the disappointment of fans. In July 2021, the network announced the show Good Witch would finish at the end of Season 7. Shortly before filming began on Season 6 of Chesapeake Shores, Hallmark announced it would be the show’s last. The network also canceled its lifestyle program Home and Family.

    Fans have already said on social media that they are reluctant to commit to a new Hallmark show because they are afraid it will be canceled.

    When Hallmark released a video trailer of the new show, which will also star Chyler Leigh and Sadie Laflamme-Snow, some fans wrote they wouldn’t watch it.

    “Every time we get interested in and devoted to a series it gets canceled,” wrote one fan in the Facebook comments section.

    “No more series for me,” wrote another. “I just start watching then they cancel them.”

    But Hallmark is hoping other viewers will take to the family drama.

    “The Way Home is a passion project and I am beyond happy to see this special series brought to life here at Hallmark, and so beautifully,” said Lisa Hamilton-Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media.

    The Way Home will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, January 15 at 8/7c.

  • Lacey Chabert shares epic pic of her Hallmark boyfriends

    Lacey Chabert shares epic pic of her Hallmark boyfriends

    Lacey Chabert shared an epic pic of herself with four of the men who have played her boyfriends in Hallmark movies.

    “When you run into many of your Christmas movie boyfriends at the same time,” she wrote in a caption of the picture, which shows her with Wes Brown, Brennan Elliott, Will Kemp, and Paul Greene.

    Fellow Hallmark star Holly Robinson Peete responded with laughing emojis. Rachel Boston weighed in with, “Hahahaha.”

    Brendan Penny, who starred with Chabert in the 2018 Countdown to Christmas movie Pride, Prejudice & Mistletoe also commented.

    “All of them?…” he wrote.

    Chabert responded with, “@therealbrendan_penny MOST. Horrible typo. Apologies.”

    Lacey Chabert

    In a recent interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Chabert revealed that she had starred in 33 movies for Hallmark.

    “Now, more than ever, like, we just need some goodness in the world,” Chabert said. “People come up to me all the time and they go, ‘You know, it’s my husband and I, it’s our favorite thing to do together. This movie has helped bring my family together.’ So I consider it an honor to be a part of.”

    Fallon said he had seen every single movie she had made for Hallmark.

    “I watch them with my dad,” he said.

    Chabert then asked if he wanted to be in one.

    “Like, I have some stuff next year,” she said. “I would love to be in one with you.”

    Hallmark boyfriends

    The photo of Chabert with her co-stars was taken at Christmas Con 2022, where Hallmark actors met fans and promoted their latest projects.

    Wes Brown and Chabert starred in the 2022 Countdown to Christmas favorite Haul Out the Holly. Brennan Elliott and Chabert starred in the All Of My Heart series of movies, which includes All Of My Heart (2015), All Of My Heart: Inn Love (2017), and All Of My Heart: The Wedding (2018). Elliott and Chabert also co-starred in the Crossword Mysteries series on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.

    Will Kemp and Chabert starred in the 2019 movie Love, Romance & Chocolate and the 2020 Countdown to Christmas movie The Christmas Waltz. Paul Greene and Chabert starred in the 2016 movie A Wish For Christmas.

    Chabert has also starred in Winter in Vail and Sweet Carolina with Tyler Hynes; Christmas in Rome with Sam Page; Christmas at Castle Hart and Time For Us to Come Home For Christmas with Stephen Huszar; and My Secret Valentine with Andrew Walker.

    In 2022, Chabert co-starred with Alison Sweeney, Autumn Reeser, and When Calls the Heart star Kevin McGarry in the Hallmark trilogy The Wedding Veil. Chabert recently announced that three new movies in The Wedding Veil series will premiere in January.

  • Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry are engaged!

    Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry are engaged!

    When Calls the Heart stars Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry announced in a social media post that they are engaged.

    “Forever,” wrote Wallace in the caption of an Instagram video that showed a diamond glittering on her ring finger.

    “Beautiful!!!! Congratulations,” wrote When Calls the Heart co-star Pascale Hutton.

    “Our forever friends found their forever!” wrote Erin Krakow. “So happy for you both! Still haven’t recovered from this beautiful moment!”

    Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry

    Wallace and McGarry met on the set of Hallmark’s longest-running original series When Calls the Heart in 2019. Both actors joined the series in its sixth season on the air.

    McGarry was cast as Mountie Nathan Grant, who was brought on the show as a suitor for widow Elizabeth Thornton (played by Erin Krakow). For two seasons he competed with businessman Lucas Bouchard (played by Chris McNally) for Elizabeth’s hand. At the end of Season 8, she chose Bouchard. In Season 9, McGarry’s character met a newcomer to Hope Valley, Mei Suo (played by Amanda Wong) and sparks flew.

    Wallace joined the cast as Fiona Miller, an independent young woman who was brought to Hope Valley to help set up the town’s first switchboard.

    Officially a couple

    McGarry and Wallace announced they were a couple in a 2020 Instagram post. In March 2022 they starred in the Hallmark rom-com Feeling Butterflies. Their next movie together, My Grow-Up Christmas List, premiered during Hallmark’s Christmas in July lineup.

    McGarry played Mitch Cutty on the Canadian series Heartland from 2016 to 2021. He has had roles on the TV shows Saving Hope, Man Seeking Woman, and Private Eyes. In 2015, he played Joey Castelluci in the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries film Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris with Love. He has also starred in the Hallmark movies Love at First Bark (2017), A Song for Christmas (2017), Autumn Stables (2018), and Winter Love Story (2019).

    He recently finished filming The Wedding Veil Expectations, which will air in January 2023.

    Wallace attended The Canadian College of Performing Arts in Vancouver. She has appeared in the TV shows The Good Doctor, Zoe Extraordinary Playlist, and Breckman Rodeo. She starred in the 2018 Hallmark movie Once Upon a Prince.

  • Christmas on Hallmark

    Christmas on Hallmark

    Christmas on Hallmark will be a ‘round-the-clock holiday movie fest. Hallmark Channel will air many of the new movies it premiered during Countdown to Christmas 2022, including Three Wise Men and a Baby, A Fabled Holiday, A Magical Christmas Village, Noel Next Door, and Christmas Class Reunion.

    On Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, all of the new Miracles of Christmas movies for 2022 will air.

    The full schedule is as follows:

    Christmas on Hallmark will include A Fabled Holiday. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    A Fabled Holiday (Image: Hallmark Media)

    Friday, December 23:

    HALLMARK CHANNEL

    12 (a.m.) Christmas at Castle Hart

    2/1c Christmas Getaway

    4/3c Double Holiday

    6/5c Next Stop, Christmas

    8/7c Christmas Under Wraps

    10/9c You, Me & the Christmas Trees

    Double Holiday will air as part of Christmas on Hallmark. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Double Holiday (Image: Hallmark Media)

    12/11c A Christmas Detour

    2/1c An Unexpected Christmas

    4/3c The Sweetest Christmas

    6/5c #XMAS

    8/7c Crown For Christmas

    10/9c Holiday Heritage

    What's on the weekend Hallmark schedule? Holiday Heritage, starring Lyndie Greenwood and Holly Robinson Peete. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Holiday Heritage (Image: Hallmark Media)

    HALLMARK MOVIES AND MYSTERIES

    12 (a.m.) Our Italian Christmas Memories

    2/1c A Christmas For the Books

    4/3c A Christmas Love Story

    6/5c Christmas Homecoming

    8/7c A Homecoming For the Holidays

    10/9c Every Time a Bell Rings

    Hallmark Christmas movies playing this weekend include"Every Time a Bell Rings" (Image: Crown Media)
    Every Time a Bell Rings(Image: Hallmark Media)

    12/11c Christmas in Montana

    2/1c A Gift to Remember

    4/3c Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2

    6/5c Small Town Christmas

    8/7c Long Lost Christmas

    10/9c Family For Christmas

    What's on the Hallmark schedule this weekend? Christmas in Montana
    Christmas in Montana. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    Saturday, December 24:

    HALLMARK CHANNEL

    12 (a.m.) We Wish You a Married Christmas

    2/1c When I Think of Christmas

    4/3c A Royal Corgi Christmas

    6/5c In Merry Measure

    8/7c A Kismet Christmas

    10/9c Undercover Holiday

    What's on the Hallmark schedule this weekend? A Royal Corgi Christmas, starring Hunter King and Jordan Renzo.
    A Royal Corgi Christmas. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    12/11c Hanukkah on Rye

    2/1c ’Twas the Night Before Christmas

    4/3c A Cozy Christmas Inn

    6/5c Jolly Good Christmas

    8/7c A Holiday Spectacular

    10/9c Haul Out the Holly

    What's on the Hallmark schedule this weekend? Countdown to Christmas continues with A Cozy Christmas Inn
    A Cozy Christmas Inn (Image: Hallmark Media)

    HALLMARK MOVIES AND MYSTERIES

    12 (a.m.) One December Night

    2/1c Christmas Incorporated

    4/3c Christmas at Cartwright’s

    6/5c One Christmas Eve

    8/7c The Holiday Stocking

    10/9c We Need a Little Christmas

    12/11c Five More Minutes: Moments Like These

    2/1c Time For Me to Come Home For Christmas

    Countdown to Christmas starts this weekend on Hallmark
    We Wish You a Married Christmas (Image: Hallmark Media)

    4/3c Time For You to Come Home For Christmas

    6/5c Time For Us to Come Home For Christmas

    8/7c Time For Them to Come Home For Christmas

    10/9c Time For Him to Come Home For Christmas

    Sunday, December 25:

    HALLMARK CHANNEL

    12 (a.m.) A Big Fat Family Christmas

    2/1c Lights, Camera, Christmas!

    4/3c Ghosts of Christmas Always

    A Big Fat Family Christmas is one of four new movies that will premiere this weekend on Hallmark
    A Big Fat Family Christmas (Image: Hallmark Media)

    6/5c Christmas at the Golden Dragon

    8/7c Noel Next Door

    10/9c A Magical Christmas Village

    12/11c Christmas Class Reunion

    2/1c A Fabled Holiday

    4/3c A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe

    6/5c Three Wise Men and a Baby

    8/7c A Maple Valley Christmas

    10/9c My Southern Family Christmas

    What's on the Hallmark weekend schedule? An extra hour of Christmas goodness thanks to Daylight Savings Time.
    A Maple Valley Christmas. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    HALLMARK MOVIES AND MYSTERIES

    12 (a.m.) A Christmas Melody

    2/1c Cranberry Christmas

    4/3c Journey Back to Christmas

    6/5c Christmas Bedtime Stories

    What's on the Hallmark schedule this weekend? Miracles of Christmas continues with Christmas Bedtime Stories
    Christmas Bedtime Stories (Image: Hallmark Media)

    8/7c Our Italian Christmas Memories

    10/9c Christmas at the Palace

    12/11c The Christmas Secret

    2/1c A Godwink Christmas

    4/3c A Godwink Christmas: Meant For Love

    6/5c A Godwink Christmas: Second Chance, First Love

    8/7c A Godwink Christmas: Miracle of Love

    10/9c The Gift of Peace

  • How to decorate your home so that it looks like a Hallmark Christmas movie

    How to decorate your home so that it looks like a Hallmark Christmas movie

    Ever wanted your home to look like a Hallmark Christmas movie? Now you can make that happen with some tips from a Hallmark movie set decorator. Jordan Ninkovitch, who decorated the sets for four different Hallmark movies in this year’s Countdown to Christmas and Miracles of Christmas lineups, spoke with People magazine about his ideas.

    In the interview, he spoke about everything from engaging all five senses to using non-traditional colors in his designs.

    Hallmark Christmas movie

    Ninkovich decorated the sets for The Holiday Sitter, which starred Jonathan Bennett, George Krissa, and Chelsea Hobbs; Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas, which starred Tyler Hynes and Holland Roden; A Maple Valley Christmas, which starred Andrew Walker and Peyton List; and Five More Minutes: Moments Like These, which starred Ashley Williams and Lucas Bryant.

    Some of the decorations were made by hand, he said.

    “We didn’t want to just go out and buy a bunch of stuff, so myself and my amazing crew got together and we made all the stockings and decorations,” he said. We had some fun with it and it brought out our inner children.”

    The handmade decorations added to the festive spirit on set.

    “…With kid actors that’s a helpful thing I can do to make the environment feel mesmerizing, like, wow, this is going to be exciting, like it’s Christmas morning,” he said.

    Time For Him to Come Home For Christmas (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Time For Him to Come Home For Christmas (Image: Hallmark Media)

    Blue and gold

    In The Holiday Sitter, Ninkovich eschewed the traditional red and green fare and decorated t in shades of blue and gold.

    “I want to always think outside of the box and design something new,” he said. “Some of the film definitely has those traditional Christmas palettes, but I thought this was a great opportunity with this movie and everything it stands for, to start some new trends and show a wide range of Christmas styles.”

    Layers

    One tip Ninkovich shared was to layer decorations and engage the senses. When filming on a set that was supposed to be a New York City condominium, he played Frank Sinatra and burned incense. When he decorated a set that was meant to be a Christmas market, he made sure that chestnuts were roasting and hot cocoa was on hand, touches that helped since filming took place in the summer.

    “I had all this fresh Christmas baking going,” he said. “I brought in 18 real Christmas vendors, supporting locals. [The cast and crew] shopped after. It was actually so huge it confused everybody — the public, the staff, the crew. They actually thought, well, wait a minute, is it Christmas in July? When I get those remarks, that’s awesome.”

  • Hallmark releases details of first 2023 Christmas movie in its Countdown to Christmas lineup

    Hallmark releases details of first 2023 Christmas movie in its Countdown to Christmas lineup

    Countdown to Christmas may still be in full swing, but Hallmark has already announced the first 2023 Christmas movie in its lineup.

    A Biltmore Christmas will premiere in the 2023 holiday season and will star Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha. The romantic comedy will begin filming in January 2023 at the historic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

    A network executive said the landmark will be the perfect backdrop to a Christmas romance.

    “Each year we look for ways to create exciting, new holiday viewing experiences for our audience,” said Samantha DiPippo, senior vice president of Development and Programming at Hallmark Media. “We know fans will love being transported back in time and the iconic, beautiful Biltmore Estate is the perfect setting to help fans get into the holiday spirit.”

    Kristoffer Polaha in the 2022 Countdown to Christmas movie We Wish You a Married Christmas. Polaha will co-star with Bethany Joy Lenz in the 2023 Christmas movie A Biltmore Christmas.
    (Image: Hallmark Media)

    2023 Christmas movie

    In A Biltmore Christmas, Bethany Joy Lenz plays Lucy, a screenwriter who lands the job of a lifetime when she’s hired to write the script for a remake of the beloved holiday movie His Merry Bride!

    First filmed in 1947 at beautiful Biltmore House, it has long been considered a Christmas classic. As Christmas approaches, Lucy travels to Biltmore Estate for research. She joins a guided tour of the grounds where she gets insights into the history of the location and the filming of His Merry Bride!

    She finds herself drawn to a beautiful hourglass on display. When Lucy accidentally knocks it over, she finds herself transported back in time to 1946 as the cast and crew prepare to film His Merry Bride! at Biltmore. Lucy does her best to navigate an unfamiliar place as a woman out of time, charming some and raising suspicions of others.

    According to Hallmark, “It’s not long before Lucy catches the eye of the film’s dashing lead Jack Huston (Polaha) and although she initially rebuffs his advances, their connection soon becomes undeniable.” Lucy’s sudden appearance sets off a chain of events that put the production in jeopardy. Before she can return to the present, she must make things right or threaten to alter the future forever. Lucy has one chance to go home but must say goodbye to the man who might be her soulmate unless some Christmas magic can keep the curtain from closing on their love story.

    Countdown to Christmas

    Hallmark’s annual Christmas movie marathon has once again proved a ratings boon for the company, with the network topping TV ratings for eight straight weeks. Christmas programming on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries attracted more than 36.5 million unduplicated viewers, according to numbers released by Nielsen.

  • Andrea Brooks gives birth to Baby No. 2: Find out his name

    Andrea Brooks gives birth to Baby No. 2: Find out his name

    When Calls the Heart star Andrea Brooks gave birth to Baby No. 2 over the weekend. The actress posted a photo of herself on Instagram holding her child and smiling.

    “Perfection,” wrote her When Calls the Heart co-star Pascale Hutton in the comments. “Congratulations mama!!!”

    “So happy for you guys!!!” wrote Erin Krakow.

    https://www.instagram.com

    Andrea Brooks

    Brooks announced in November that she and her husband, Riley Graydon, were expecting their second child.

    “At this point, I feel like I could almost write a book on how to hide a pregnancy on television,” Brooks said during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “This is the second time I’ve shot a season of When Calls the Heart while pregnant — the last time was Season 7 — and I am forever grateful to Hallmark Channel, our writers, showrunner, directors and producers, for all of their continued support!”

    Baby No. 2

    Brooks and Graydon revealed to ET Online that their son is named Levon, which is the title of Brooks’ favorite Elton John song. He was 10 lbs. 6 oz at birth. Both mother and baby are doing well.

    This is the second child for the couple. In 2019, Brooks gave birth to their daughter, Viola.

    In a November interview, Brooks said she had a list of possible names for Baby No. 2 in mind but that it was constantly changing.

    “Viola, on the other hand, has already named the baby!” she said. “If we’re not careful I’m afraid she might sign the birth certificate on our behalf.”

    The When Calls the Heart Family

    In a recent interview, Brooks, who plays Dr. Faith Carter on the hit Hallmark series, said her When Calls the Heart co-workers have been incredibly supportive of her pregnancies.

    “The major benefit of being a part of a show that’s been on-air for nearly a decade is the tight-knit community we’ve formed as a cast and crew,” Brooks said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. “It’s been so exciting to see so many people from our show grow up, get engaged, get married, and start families. We also have a LOT of parents on our show. I’ve had so many meaningful conversations on set about preschool, babies, parenting, and balancing it all. Pascale Hutton is always able to answer any question I have about raising kids and I’m always so appreciative of her advice. Also, the costume department left me an adorable crochet baby hat in my trailer the other day.”

  • Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas tops the ratings for 8th week in a row

    Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas tops the ratings for 8th week in a row

    Hallmark’s annual Countdown to Christmas movie marathon has once again proved a ratings boon for the company, with Hallmark Christmas movies topping the ratings for eight straight weeks.

    Christmas programming on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries attracted more than 36.5 million unduplicated viewers, according to numbers released by Nielsen.

    In addition to producing the most-watched cable movie of the year — Three Wise Men and a Baby — Hallmark also delivered two of the top three most-watched entertainment cable programs of the week with The Most Colorful Time of the Year and Christmas Class Reunion, which premiered on December 9 and December 10.

    Four new movies will premiere on Hallmark this weekend, including The Most Colorful Time of the Year. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    The Most Colorful Time of the Year (Image: Hallmark Media)

    Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas

    Hallmark’s annual Christmas movie marathon got its start in 2009. The original lineup was hosted by Hoops and Yoyo, two popular figures from Hallmark greeting cards. The event grew in popularity so much over the years that the network began airing Christmas movies in the final week of October and continuing up through New Year’s Day.

    The movies themselves were so successful that they have spawned countless imitations, with every network from CBS to HGTV coming out with their own holiday-themed movies.

    Countdown to Christmas 2021

    Last year’s Countdown to Christmas proved no exception in terms of popularity. More than 2 million viewers tuned in to watch its film premieres each weekend, according to Nielsen ratings.

    “I’m incredibly proud of our programming team for their hard work and dedication to portraying holiday moments that reflect unique storylines and backgrounds and are filled with positivity, warmth, and connection,” said Wonya Lucas, president & CEO of Hallmark Media, which was known as Crown Media Family Networks at the time. “We look forward to sharing the joy of Hallmark holiday magic with our viewers all season long.”

    Popular movies

    So far, Hallmark’s Three Wise Men and a Baby has been the most popular of all its seasonal offerings. According to the ratings, it was ad-supported cable’s most-watched movie of the year to date among homes, viewers, women 18+, persons 18+, women 25-54, and women 18-34. It averaged 2.9 million homes, 411,000 women 25-54, and 3.6 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.

  • Alison Sweeney, Autumn Reeser, and Lacey Chabert send fans their love from the set of the new Wedding Veil movies.

    Alison Sweeney, Autumn Reeser, and Lacey Chabert send fans their love from the set of the new Wedding Veil movies.

    Alison Sweeney posted a video from the set of Hallmark’s new Wedding Veil movies, calling the experience “an incredibly fun adventure.”

    “It has been so much fun filming #TheWeddingVeil in Greece & Bulgaria,” she wrote. “I’m so grateful to everyone on the cast & crew for making this shoot so special.”

    New Wedding Veil movies

    Sweeney’s co-star Lacey Chabert broke the news that three new Wedding Veil movies were coming to Hallmark during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

    While promoting her new Christmas movie, Haul Out the Holly, Chabert revealed that she was heading to Greece to film the next movies in the series.

    “We’re going to be back,” Chabert said.

    The Wedding Veil trilogy

    Fans were excited earlier this year when they found out that three of their favorite Hallmark stars — Lacey Chabert, Alison Sweeney, and Autumn Reeser — would be starring in a trio of movies together.

    The Wedding Veil trilogy followed three college friends who reunite every year for a weekend visit. During a trip to San Francisco, Avery (played by Lacey Chabert) bought an antique wedding veil alleged to be enchanted. The shop owner told her that the person who has the veil will find true love. Soon after, Avery met the man of her dreams (played by When Calls the Heart’s Kevin McGarry), and the two married. She then passed the veil along to Reeser’s character, who found true love on a trip to Italy to research the veil’s origins. After Reeser’s character said, “I do,” she passed the veil along to Sweeney’s character, who — yup, you guessed it — ended up falling in love as well.

    In a Facebook Live interview to promote the original movies, Chabert said the movies were, at their core, about friendship.

    “I think the sisterhood is at the heart of these stories,” Chabert said.

    On the set

    In posts from the set of the new movies, all three actresses have said how wonderful it is to be working together again.

    “I am so grateful to have such incredibly supportive friends!!” Sweeney wrote in another post. “We were filming late together on a night which happened to be the premiere of #amagicalchristmasvillage. So while we were filming #theweddingveil everyone cozied up to watch and enjoy the movie during our breaks in between takes.”

    The Wedding Veil Expectations will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 8/7c.

  • Hallmark fans keep giving Wes Brown the same hilarious gift

    Hallmark fans keep giving Wes Brown the same hilarious gift

    Hallmark star Wes Brown recently attended Christmas Con in New Jersey, where he kept getting the same hilarious gift from fans: nutcrackers.

    In an Instagram post, the actor said many fans brought him nutcrackers as a reference to his Christmas-loving, detail-oriented character Jared Farnsworth, in the Countdown to Christmas movie Haul Out the Holly.

    “…I never expected to receive gifts,” Brown wrote. “The amount of you who brought me nutcrackers (Haul Out The Holly nod) amongst others, please know I took all of them home and my collection begins, so THANK YOU.”

    Hallmark star Wes Brown

    Brown was one of many Hallmark stars who turned out for Christmas Con 2022, which was held at the New Jersey Expo Center in Edison. During the three-day event he met fans, signed autographs, and posed for photos. He also received nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes.

    “Guess I’m the nutcracker guy and I’m here for it!” Brown wrote on Instagram.

    Haul Out the Holly

    Haul Out the Holly premiered as part of the 2022 Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas lineup. In the movie, Brown played Jared, president of the homeowner’s association in a neighborhood obsessed with Christmas. He takes his job seriously, calling meetings to discuss cookie baking, tree-lighting ceremonies, and snowmen tableaus, while also walking the street, citation pad in hand, ready to cite anyone for not having the proper decorations up.

    Though he gets cooperation from most of the people in the neighborhood, he butts head with Lacey Chabert’s character, Emily, who is staying at her parents’ home while they spend the holidays in Florida. Emily, who has just broken up with her boyfriend, wants nothing to do with the neighborhood Christmas celebrations. But Jared keeps issuing citations, so she reluctantly gets involved.

    The nutcracker connection

    In one hilarious scene, Jared slaps a citation on Emily’s door because she hasn’t put out a nutcracker on the front porch, an HOA requirement during the holidays.

    Emily picks up a small nutcracker and places it on the porch. Jared insists that it doesn’t fulfill the requirement as the nutcracker needs to be “36 inches from shoe to chapeau.”

    European artisans first began carving ornamental nutcrackers during the 15th century. As the years passed, the designs became more elaborate. Nutcrackers came to be associated with Christmas when E.T.A. Hoffmann’s short story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” was adapted into a ballet in 1892.

    Many of Brown’s fans said they were inspired by his character to start their own collection.

    “I bought my first Nutcracker ever after watching this fantastic movie!” wrote a fan on Brown’s Instagram page.

    “I just had to buy nutcracker ornaments for the tree this year as a nod to Haul Out The Holly,” wrote another.

  • Exes reunite in new Christmas movie on Great American Family

    Exes reunite in new Christmas movie on Great American Family

    Great American Family will premiere the new Christmas movie Aisle Be Home For Christmas this weekend. The romantic comedy, which stars Jennifer Freeman, Garrett Watson, Jessica Ruth Bell, and Erica Duke, tells the story of two exes who get trapped by winter storms and must spend Christmas together in a big box retail store.

    “This weekend grab a cup of hot chocolate and get cozy on your couch and check out my new Christmas movie,” wrote Jen Freeman on her Instagram page, @msjenfreeman.

    New Christmas movie

    In Aisle Be Home For Christmas, Freeman plays a woman who gets stranded with a group of people in a big box store when a winter storm hits. The strangers try to make the best of a bad situation, cooking up some food and setting a table for the holiday meal. But the situation is a little awkward as two members of the group — Michelle (played by Freeman) and Drew (played by Garrett Watson) — used to be a couple.
    In a preview of the movie, Drew tells Michelle, “Something is giving us a second chance.”

    Great American Family movies

    Danica McKellar in the movie Christmas at the Drive-In. The actress revealed that she has moved to Tennessee.
    Danica McKellar in the movie Christmas at the Drive-In. (Image: Great American Media.)

    Aisle Be Home For Christmas is one of 18 new Christmas movies to premiere on Great American Family this year. The network, which was founded in June 2021 by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott, also debuted Christmas at the Drive-In, starring Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe; I’m Glad It’s Christmas, starring Paul Greene, Jessica Lowndes, and Gladys Knight; A Christmas…Present, starring Candace Cameron Bure and Marc Blucas; and Catering Christmas, starring Merritt Patterson and Daniel Lissing.

    About the cast

    Aisle Be Home For Christmas is the second Christmas movie Jennifer Freeman has starred in this year. Her other movie, My Christmas Fiance, debuted on Hulu in November.

    Freeman had parts on the TV shows 7th Heaven and Lizzie McGuire before taking over the role of Claire Kyle on the hit series My Wife and Kids. She has also starred in the movies Throwback Holiday, The Business of Christmas, The Business of Christmas 2, and Beaus of Holly.

    Garrett Watson starred in the TV show Step Up: High Water and the movie The Boyfriend Trap. Aisle Be Home For Christmas is his first production with Great American Family.

    Aisle Be Home For Christmas will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, December 17 at 8/7c.

  • A Heartland Christmas movie? The show’s producer drops an exciting hint

    A Heartland Christmas movie? The show’s producer drops an exciting hint

    A producer of the hit series Heartland said she would love to do another Heartland Christmas movie.

    “…We did the Christmas movie after Season 3,” said Heather Conkie, the show’s frontrunner and one of its executive producers in an interview on Keep Heartland Strong. “I would love to do another Christmas movie. You know there’s Lyndy now seeing Christmas through a child’s eyes.”

    Conkie made the comment during an interview with Nita Abbott, who runs @KeepHeartlandStrong on YouTube and the Keep Heartland Strong page on Facebook. In the course of the interview, Conkie talked about the show’s continued success after 16 seasons on the air.

    “It’s a kinder gentler place,” Conkie said. “I mean, everyone in this day and age is dying for a kinder gentler year to exist in, a place that you can look at and love and appreciate nature. …It’s like therapy.

    Hit TV show Heartland

    Amber Marshall (as Amy Fleming) on the hit series Heartland. (Image: CBC)
    Heartland (Image: CBC)

    The hit TV show Heartland is Canada’s longest-running one-hour drama. The series premiered on television in October 2007. Set in rural Alberta, the show told the story of a teenage girl who was living on her grandfather’s horse ranch following a tragic car accident that took her mother’s life.

    Over the course of 16 seasons, the show has been nominated for more than 80 awards and has won the Directors Guild of Canada Award for Best Family Television Series five times.

    A Heartland Christmas movie

    CBC released a holiday special in 2010. In A Heartland Christmas, ranch owner Jack Bartlett (Shaun Johnston) receives an anonymous call about a group of starving horses who have been stranded by an avalanche in the Rocky Mountains. He sends Amy (Amber Marshall) and Ty (Graham Wardle) to rescue them.

    The team behind Hallmark's new show, The Way Home
    Heather Conkie and her daughter, Alexandra Clarke. (Image: Twitter)

    In her interview with Nita Abbott (which can be watched here), Conkie also talked about the unique experience she has had working on Heartland.

    “I got chills,” Conkie said watching the show’s footage during the editing process. “And I just thought I don’t get chills that often on a show that I’m involved with.”

    Conkie has written and produced a number of shows for television, including Dark Oracle, Port Hope, and Road to Avonlea.

    Her latest project is a new series for Hallmark Channel called The Way Home. The multi-generational drama will premiere on January 15.

  • Erin Krakow would love to make a sequel to the Hallmark movie It Was Always You

    Erin Krakow would love to make a sequel to the Hallmark movie It Was Always You

    Hallmark star Erin Krakow told a fan she would love to make a sequel to her 2021 movie It Was Always You.

    In a post on Twitter, a fan asked Krakow, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how much would you love to do a sequel to It Was Always You?”

    Krakow responded with a GIF featuring the character El from Stranger Things (played by Mille Bobby Brown) giving a big grin. She also tagged her It Was Always You co-star Tyler Hynes.

    The Hallmark movie It Was Always You

    The Hallmark movie It was Always You premiered in February 2021 on Hallmark Channel as part of its Love Ever After programming event.

    The film starred Erin Krakow as Elizabeth, a straight-laced, type-A woman trying to plan her upcoming wedding. When a storm causes her fiancé to get stranded on the other side of town, Elizabeth is left trying to finish her mammoth to-do list with the help of her fiancé’s brother, David (played by Tyler Hynes).

    The two are polar opposites, personality-wise, and yet as they work together to get ready for the wedding, it becomes clear they have more in person than they thought. When romantic sparks begin to fly, Elizabeth must decide if she is making the right choices in her life.

    The movie was a hit when it premiered. Fans especially loved the chemistry between Krakow and Hynes.

    A sequel with Krakow and Hynes

    Fans loved the onscreen pair so much that one even started a change.org petition to get Krakow and Hynes in more movies together.

    Krakow rose to fame playing school teacher Elizabeth Thornton on Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart. She has also starred in a number of romantic comedies for the network, including A Cookie Cutter Christmas (2014), Finding Father Christmas (2016), Engaging Father Christmas (2017), Marrying Father Christmas (2018), A Summer Romance (2019), and Sense, Sensibility & Snowmen (2019).

    Hynes is also a Hallmark favorite. He has starred in the Hallmark movies Falling For You (2018), It’s Christmas, Eve (2018), Wedding March 5: My Boyfriend’s Back (2019), The Mistletoe Secret (2019), On the 12th Date of Christmas (2020), Sweet Carolina (2021), Roadhouse Romance (2021), My Christmas Family Tree (2021), An Unexpected Christmas (2021), Time For Him to Come Home For Christmas (2022), and the wildly successful Three Wise Men and a Baby (2022).

  • Just in time for the holidays — a cookbook for fans of the hit TV show Heartland

    Just in time for the holidays — a cookbook for fans of the hit TV show Heartland

    There’s a new cookbook on the market for fans of the hit TV show Heartland. The Unofficial Heartland Cookbook: A Cookbook for Fans of the Hit Show Heartland features 55 dishes that have been cooked and served on the show over the course of its 16-season run.

    From Scott’s infamous Prairie Oyster Stew and Maggie’s Saskatoon Berry Pie to Grandpa Jack’s Stew in a Jar and Tim’s Cedar Plank Salmon, the book lets readers cook their way through some of their favorite episodes of the CBC show.

    “Heartland is the longest-running one-hour drama in Canadian history and food and cooking has played a central part in almost every single episode,” reads a promotional snippet for the book on Amazon. “Family-style dinners served at the Heartland Ranch and classic Canadian entrees served at Maggie’s Diner are almost as memorable as any of the storylines on the show. Meals shared have played no small part in keeping the family engaged with laughter, tears, feuding sisters and the food making every meal a treat to watch.”

    The hit TV show Heartland

    The hit TV show Heartland is Canada’s longest-running one-hour drama. The series premiered on television in October 2007. Set in rural Alberta, the show told the story of a teenage girl who was living on her grandfather’s horse ranch following a tragic car accident that took her mother’s life.

    Over the course of 16 seasons, the show has been nominated for more than 80 awards and has won the Directors Guild of Canada Award for Best Family Television Series five times.

    The Unofficial Heartland Cookbook

    The cookbook was written by Nita Abbott and Mike Hurley, fans of the series who took turns making and perfecting each of the recipes they shared. Abbott, who runs the Facebook page “Keep Heartland Strong” and has interviewed the show’s writers, actors, and producers for her YouTube channel (which can be viewed here), said she wanted fans to have printed material to go along with their favorite show.

    Hurley and Abbott re-watched the series looking for episodes where the characters did any cooking and baking. They created recipes for the dishes and wrote accompanying text explaining when the dish was made on the show and what significance it played.

    It took the authors nearly two years to complete the project. The book was published in September 2022.

    Rave reviews

    The book has received rave reviews from Heartland fans, who approve of everything from the book’s layout to the fact that the text includes a metric conversion chart.

    “We may not be able to go there, but we can eat like we were there at Maggie’s, The Dude Ranch, and The Heartland Ranch,” wrote one reader.

    “I don’t cook much, but this book makes me want to,” wrote another reader. “A must-have for any fan, and worth the money even if you don’t watch the show.”

    The Unofficial Heartland Cookbook: A Cookbook for Fans of the Hit Show Heartland is available for purchase on Amazon. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each cookbook will go to support the Wild Horses of Alberta as well as to The Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario.

  • The new Hallmark movie The Gift of Peace explores grief at the holidays

    The new Hallmark movie The Gift of Peace explores grief at the holidays

    Though Hallmark is known for its Christmas romantic comedies, a new Hallmark movie explores grief at the holidays. The Gift of Peace stars Nikki DeLoach as Traci, a grieving widow who joins an emotional support group right before Christmas. Brennan Elliott plays the group director, who convinces Traci to stay with the program even though she is reluctant to get involved.

    “I think one of the beautiful messages in this movie and what I’ve learned in my own grief is that we are kind of taught in this society that we should be strong enough…to just deal with it and fight through it and everybody grieves you know so we do it alone, in isolation,” DeLoach told TV Insider. “When the truth is the power of being with other people and its capacity to heal you by sharing your story and allowing other people to help carry your grief with you I think is one of the greatest takeaways from this movie.”

    Grief at the holidays

    A recent survey of 2,000 people showed that 36 percent of the respondents did not want to celebrate the holidays due to feelings of grief or loss.

    “The holiday season can be especially challenging if you’re dealing with the death of someone close to you,” wrote Lisa DeSieno, a bereavement services director with the Mayo Clinic. “Whether it was a recent loss or one that occurred some time ago, feelings of grief can be heightened and may seem overwhelming during the holiday season.”

    Healing each other

    In The Gift of Peace, actor Brennan Elliott plays the leader of the bereavement support group DeLoach’s charter joins. In an interview with TV Insider, Elliott said that, despite being in charge of the group, his character is the most in need of help.

    
“He feels that in helping others, I don’t have to really deal with my own [grief] and her character…helps guide him,” he said. “So it’s like, even though I’m in a position of trying to support them or give them that support from the leader of the group, they’re actually helping me as well.”

    The Gift of Peace will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Saturday, December 10 at 10/9c. The movie will be rebroadcast at different times through the Miracles of Christmas lineup.

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  • Looking for the perfect gift? This app allows you to send video messages from Hallmark stars to your friends

    Looking for the perfect gift? This app allows you to send video messages from Hallmark stars to your friends

    Fans are going crazy for a new app that allows them to send personalized video messages from Hallmark stars to their friends. A surprising number of Hallmark celebrities — from Paul Greene and Kevin McGarry to Andrea Brooks and Cindy Busby — are available on the Cameo platform for video calls and video messages. Video calls tend to be pricier (think $300 and up) but personal video messages are around or under $100.

    Hallmark stars

    Though Cameo isn’t limited to Hallmark stars — users can book videos from Steve Wozniak, Gabby Douglas, and Lindsay Lohan, among others — there are a surprising number of Hallmark favorites on the app.

    Hallmark stars -- including Jessica Scipos -- are on a new app.
    Jessica Scipos on Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    Fans of When Calls the Heart can book messages from Jack Wagner and Daniel Lissing — in addition to Paul Greene, Andrea Brooks, and Kevin McGarry,

    From Chesapeake Shores, Jessica Scipos, Meghan Ory, and Andrew Francis are available.

    Good Witch stars Catherine Bell, James Denton, Scott Cavalheiro, and Catherine Disher have accounts with the app. Bell and Denton have recently been answering fan questions about a possible return to TV for the series.

    Fans of Hallmark’s popular movie series Signed, Sealed, Delivered can get messages from Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, Eric Mabius, and Kristin Booth.

    What's on the Hallmark schedule this weekend?Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made.
    Eric Mabius, Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, and Kristin Booth are also available for video messaging. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    Rave reviews

    Hallmark stars have received rave reviews from happy customers.

    “I have had my personalized video for about 6 months now,” wrote one fan about her message from Wes Brown. “…I still listen to it every night before I go to bed. This has to be one of the best presents I have ever gotten.”

    Another fan wrote of Andrew Walker, “Andrew went above and beyond our expectations surprising a friend for her birthday! He made the video personal, and took into consideration everything we wrote! Our friend said this was the best birthday gift she received!”

    The Hallmark stars on Cameo

    The following Hallmark stars are taking message requests on Cameo:

    Cindy Busby
    Ashley Williams
    Andrew Walker
    Benjamin Ayres
    Victor Webster
    Janel Parrish
    Trevor Donovan
    Paul Campbell
    Danica McKellar
    Cameron Mathison
    Bethany Joy Lenz
    Will Kemp
    Brant Daugherty
    Ryan McPartlin
    Taylor Cole
    Carlo Marks
    Jessica Scipos
    Jesse Metcalfe
    Andrew Francis
    Sarah Lind
    Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe
    Eric Mabius
    Kristin Booth
    Andrea Brooks
    Kevin McGarry
    Jack Wagner
    Daniel Lissing
    Catherine Bell
    James Denton
    Scott Cavalheiro
    Catherine Disher
    Paul Greene

    Here is a list of Hallmark stars on Caemo who are temporarily unavailable but will be back soon:

    Marilu Henner
    Holly Robinson Peete
    Jonathan Bennett
    Meghan Ory
    Lacey Chabert
    Nikki DeLoach
    Alicia Witt
    Jen Lilley

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  • All the new Hallmark movies coming to TV in January

    All the new Hallmark movies coming to TV in January

    Countdown to Christmas may still be in full swing, but new Hallmark movies are coming to television in January. Six new films will premiere, including all three new Wedding Veil movies.

    Fans were thrilled when Lacey Chabert announced on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Show that Hallmark was making three more movies in the Wedding Veil series. The original trilogy, which starred Chabert, Alison Sweeney, and Autumn Reeser, premiere, made its debut on Hallmark Channel in 2022. It was such a favorite among fans that Hallmark ordered three more movies.

    New Hallmark movies

    First up is The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating, starring Rebecca Dalton and Corey Sevier. In the movie, Simon (played by Sevier) believes Chloe is the girl of his dreams, but can’t seem to win over her beloved pup. He enlists dog trainer Alex (Dalton) and soon finds himself wondering where his real connection might be.

    Next up is The Wedding Veil Expectations. In the first of the three new movies, Avery (Chabert) and her husband, Peter (Kevin McGarry of When Calls the Heart), are in the midst of renovating an old house they have purchased. Avery has some exciting news to share with Peter but is waiting for just the right moment.

    Meanwhile, Avery’s mother-in-law, Grace (played by Karen Kruper), reconnects with a former beau, and Peter has concerns. Between that, the pitfalls of remodeling and navigating the politics of having a new boss at the museum, Avery is lucky to have Emma (Autumn Reeser) and Tracy (Alison Sweeney), who offer support from afar as well as in person when they decide a video chat won’t suffice. When newlywed Tracy returns the antique wedding veil to Emma, the friends may find that they haven’t seen the last of its magic.

    Autumn Reeser in The Wedding Veil Unveiled. The fifth movie in the series, The Wedding Veil Inspiration, is part of the Hallmark weekend schedule. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Autumn Reeser in The Wedding Veil Unveiled. The fifth movie in the series, The Wedding Veil Inspiration, is part of the Hallmark weekend schedule. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    The Wedding Veil Inspiration

    In The Wedding Veil Inspiration, Emma (Autumn Reeser) is teaching and working hard to prove she can step into the department chair role, as Paolo’s lace shop is about to open. On track with her life plan, Emma feels strongly that things fall into place before she and Paolo grow their family. As the couple navigates their busy work schedules, Emma bumps heads with the current chair of her department and starts questioning her life choices. With support from Paolo –- and perhaps a little help from the veil — will Emma find the courage to stop planning her life and start living it?

    The Wedding Veil Journey

    In The Wedding Veil Journey, Tracy (Sweeney) is now head of the auction house and Nick’s (Webster) restaurant is such a success, he’s looking at expanding. Their success comes at a cost, however, as it gives them little time to see each other. They agree to make time for their long-overdue honeymoon and head to Greece. When a travel delay costs the couple their hotel room, they get the opportunity to stay on a remote island nearby. Is it possible the veil is once again working its magic and bringing them exactly where they need to be?

    Janel Parrish in the 2020 Hallmark Christmas movie Holly and Ivy. In an exclsuive interview with TV Cheddar, Parrish called her new Hallmark mystery high stakes and exciting. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Janel Parrish in the 2020 Hallmark Christmas movie Holly and Ivy. In an exclsuive interview with TV Cheddar, Parrish called her new Hallmark mystery high stakes and exciting. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    New mystery movie

    On Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, a new movie starring Janel Parrish and Niall Matter will premiere on January 8. In Family History Mysteries: Buried Past, Parrish plays Sophie McClaren, a genealogist who is an expert at digging up the past and bringing families together. When her close friend Jonathan (Morgan David Jones) urgently needs to find a bone marrow donor, it brings his twin brother (and Sophie’s old flame) Jackson (Matter), back into her life. With Jackson’s help, Sophie must use her skills to track down the brothers’ long-lost birth father, a man they never even knew existed, in time to save Jonathan’s life. Ultimately, growing closer to Jackson on this search gives Sophie the push to finally explore the mystery of her own adoption.

    Glacier Park Romance

    Finally, Glacier Park Romance, starring Ashley Newbrough and Stephen Huszar, will premiere on January 28.

    According to a synopsis from the network, “Sparks fly when Hannah (Newbrough), an expert in avalanche forecasting, brings her new technology to Glacier National Park and faces pushback from the director of Mountain Rescue (Huszar), who relies more on intuition and common sense. Their dual approach brings more than forecasting to the forefront of their hearts.”

    The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, January 1 at 8/7c.

    The Wedding Veil Expectations will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Friday, January 7 at 8/7c.

    Family History Mysteries: Buried Past will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries on Saturday, January 8 at 8/7c.

    The Wedding Veil Inspiration will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Friday, January 14 at 8/7c.

    The Wedding Veil Journey will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Friday, January 21 at 8/7c.

    Glacier Park Romance will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Friday, January 28 at 8/7c.

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  • When Calls the Heart stars are having a little too much fun on TikTok

    When Calls the Heart stars are having a little too much fun on TikTok

    The stars of Hallmark’s hit series When Calls the Heart have taken to TikTok and they are having a blast. In a recent post, Erin Krakow and Pascale Hutton danced to Meghan Trainor’s Made You Like while in costume, makeup, and hair for the show.

    “Dancing in my trailer to @meghantrainor!” wrote Krakow in an Instagram post. “Did we make you look? @phutton #Hearties #MadeYouLook #MadeYouLookChallenge.”

    When Calls the Heart

    Filming recently wrapped on Season 10 of When Calls the Heart. The show’s stars have been sharing photos and videos from the set on MacInnes Farms in Langley, British Columbia.

    “It’s going to be one of the most engaging and electrifying seasons yet,” Krakow wrote in an Instagram post.

    “That’s a wrap on the Coulters (all three of them),” wrote Hutton, alluding to her character’s pregnancy on the show. “Oh Hearties — do we have a season for you!!!!!!”

    TikTok Challenge

    Krakow and Hutton recently did the Tortilla Challenge, in which they both filled their mouths with water and took turns slapping each other with tortillas. (No, seriously. The video can be found here.)

    Not to be outdone, fellow cast members Kayla Wallace and Ben Rosenbaum also did the Make You Look Challenge, dancing in full costume on the When Calls the Heart set. In a post accompanying the video, Wallace wrote:

    “Sequence of events:
    1. Found out @erinkrakow & @phutton were doing the #madeyoulookchallenge
    2. Decided to copy them.
    3. Partnered with a pro dancer (@imkaylawallace) and learned it secretly between scenes on set.
    😎😎 #madeyoulook #hearties.”

    Pascale Hutton responded in the comments section with, “You killed it!!!”

    Kevin McGarry, who stars as Nathan Grant in the hit series, also responded.

    “Honestly guys — great job — but this was so distracting while @jackwagnerofficial and I were trying to do a scene!” he wrote in the comments section.

    Season 10

    When filming finished on Season 10, Krakow shared a touching post to her Instagram feed in which she quoted her character.

    “Elizabeth Thatcher once said ‘For what is life but a bittersweet mixture of sadness, wonderment, hope, and joy,’” she wrote. “As we wrap our 10th season of @wcth_tv, I’m feeling all of those things and more! 10 seasons of stories & memories, friendship & love, and laughter & tears. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and pride!”

    She also thanked Hallmark for continuing to produce the show.

    “Thank you @hallmarkchannel for continuing to be such champions of WCTH; we still have lots more stories to tell! Thank you to our crew & cast for your friendship and for all of your hard work this season! And of course thank you to our #Hearties for your unwavering support and passion – we wouldn’t be here without you!”

    Season 10 of When Calls the Heart will premiere in 2023.

  • A new Hallmark mystery starring Niall Matter and Janel Parrish is coming to TV

    A new Hallmark mystery starring Niall Matter and Janel Parrish is coming to TV

    A new Hallmark mystery is coming to TV. Family History Mysteries: Buried Past will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries in January 2023. The movie will star Niall Matter and Janel Parrish.

    “What I’ve been up to,” wrote Parrish in an Instagram post, “and what a joy it was.”

    Janel Parrish in the 2020 Hallmark Christmas movie Holly and Ivy. In an exclsuive interview with TV Cheddar, Parrish called her new Hallmark mystery high stakes and exciting. (Image: Hallmark Media)
    Janel Parrish in the 2020 Hallmark Christmas movie Holly and Ivy. In an exclsuive interview with TV Cheddar, Parrish called her new Hallmark mystery high stakes and exciting. (Image: Hallmark Media)

    New Hallmark mystery

    In Family History Mysteries: Buried Past, Parrish stars as Sophie McClaren, a genealogist who is an expert at digging up the past and bringing families together. When her friend Jonathan (played by Morgan David Jones) urgently needs to find a bone marrow donor, it brings his twin brother (and Sophie’s old flame) Jackson (Niall Matter) back into her life. With Jackson’s help, Sophie must use her skills to track down the brothers’ long-lost birth father, a man they never even knew existed, in time to save Jonathan’s life. Ultimately, growing closer to Jackson on this search gives Sophie the push to finally explore the mystery of her own adoption.

    The movie is based loosely on the Family History Mystery book series by author Brynn Bonner. It is being produced by Hallmark star Nikki DeLoach.

    Hallmark has introduced several new mysteries this year, including Cut, Color, Murder, starring Julie and Ryan McPartlin; Francesca Quinn, PI, starring Mallory Jansen and Dylan Bruce; Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths, starring Hunter King and Rhiannon Fish; and Curious Caterer: Dying For Chocolate, starring Andrew Walker and Nikki DeLoach.

    Janel Parrish and Niall Matter

    Janel Parrish starred in movies for the Disney Channel and appeared in the TV shows Zoey 101, Pretty Little Liars, and Magnum, PI. She made her Hallmark debut in the 2020 Christmas drama Holly & Ivy.

    In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actress said her mother was thrilled when she got the part.

    “My mom is Hallmark Christmas movies’ No. 1 fan,” she said. “It’s on all day, every day, no matter what we’re doing. She’d always ask me, ‘When are you going to do one?’ I’d said, ‘Whenever they call me, I will do one.’ So she’s over the moon about me doing this movie.”

    She also starred in the 2021 Countdown to Christmas movie Coyote Christmas alongside Ryan Paevey.

    Niall Matter has appeared in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries as Nick Miller. He also starred in the Hallmark Channel movies “Stop the Wedding,” with Alan Thicke and Rachel Boston, and “Frozen in Love” with Rachael Leigh Cook. On Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, Matter played Ian in “Finding Father Christmas,” “Engaging Father Christmas,” and “Marrying Father Christmas.”