TV Cheddar

Month: March 2024

  • Two new mystery movies coming to Hallmark

    Two new mystery movies coming to Hallmark

    Two new mystery movies are coming to Hallmark. The network known as Hallmark Mystery (formerly Hallmark Movies and Mysteries) will air a new movie in the Hannah Swensen series and a new movie in the Curious Caterer series.

    “You’ve spoken and @hallmarkmystery has listened,” wrote Andrew Walker in an Instagram post to promote his film. “Thanks to you #sleuthers, we’re coming back with another #curiouscaterer and in my humble opinion, the best one yet.”

    New mystery movies

    Hallmark has introduced several new mystery series in the past year, including Haunted Harmony Mysteries, which starred Tamera Mowry-Housley, and Family History Mysteries, starring Janel Parrish and Niall Matter.

    Hannah Swensen and Curious Caterer, however, are old favorites.

    Murder, She Baked

    One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, will be the ninth movie in the series, which is based on books by author Joanne Fluke. One Bad Apple will be the first film in the series not to feature Cameron Mathison, who played Detective Mike Kingston.

    Fans were left reeling after Hannah and Mike broke up in the seventh movie, Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery. Though they reunited to solve a murder in the eighth film A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, the characters did not reconnect romantically.

    In a May interview, Alison Sweeney, who plays baker-turned-sleuth Hannah Swensen, talked about some of the challenges the couple faced.

    “Mike is attracted to Hannah and her crime-solving ways, her mind, the fact that she is so interested, the fact that she’s good at it,” she told TV Insider. “She does get people to talk to her in a way that sometimes Mike or other detectives aren’t able to get them to open up. She does have really good instincts and a unique way of getting people to open up to her. I think the cookies help. Mike respects that, and he loves that about her, but it causes him a lot of trouble at work, and for good reasons and maybe also not-so-good reasons, the sheriff isn’t too keen to have Hannah getting involved in the crime-solving business. So that’s been a tricky thing for [Mike] to navigate. And unfortunately, I think Mike is a little old school, so he struggles with how much of that to share with Hannah.”

    Victor Webster

    Hallmark favorite Victor Webster will step in as a love interest for Hannah.

    According to a synopsis from Hallmark, Hannah becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. While trying to prove her innocence, she comes face-to-face with Chad Norton (played by Victor Webster), a handsome local prosecutor.

    New Curious Caterer

    Curious Caterer: Foiled Plans, will be the fourth movie in the series, which is based on the books by author Diane Mott Davidson. Nikki DeLoach stars as caterer Goldy Berry, who is hired to cater a medieval festival at a local castle. But when a dead body turns up, Goldy must help boyfriend and local detective Mike Schultz (played by Andrew Walker) to solve the murder.

    “Any guesses as to what Goldy and Tom will be up to this time?” Walker wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.

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  • Betty White starred in this classic Hallmark movie

    Betty White starred in this classic Hallmark movie

    Betty White is not only everyone’s favorite Golden Girl, she also starred in the Hallmark movie The Lost Valentine. The film, which premiered in 2011, also featured Jennifer Love Hewitt. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie became an instant classic and garnered Betty White a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild.

    Betty White

    In The Lost Valentine, Betty White played Caroline Thomas, a woman whose husband was declared missing in action during World War II. Every year, she returns to the train station where she bid her husband farewell on Valentine’s Day in 1943. Jennifer Love Hewitt portrayed Susan Allison, a young journalist assigned to profile Caroline for the local news station.

    Before she can even begin reporting the piece, Susan clashes with Caroline’s grandson Lucas (played by Sean Faris). When Lucas overhears Susan describing the story as a “fluff” piece, he becomes incensed. His grandmother’s devotion to her husband after all these years is an important story to tell, he insists to Susan.

    Though she doesn’t tell Lucas, Susan doesn’t believe in true love, which is why she thinks the profile is unimportant.

    The Lost Valentine

    Susan soon becomes intrigued by Caroline and her story. Caroline describes how difficult life was during the war, and how everyone in the neighborhood dreaded a visit from Western Union as the telegrams were usually messages letting them know that a beloved son, father, or husband had been killed.

    But when Caroline received a telegram, it was to tell her that her husband was missing in action. She decided that she would not give up hope that he was still alive.

    Susan pulls some strings to have a friend in the military locate the man who last saw Caroline’s husband alive. He tells her that her husband died a hero, taking a bullet from the enemy while protecting a little boy.

    Caroline finally lays her husband to rest. Though she is sad, she is cheered by the fact that Susan and her grandson seem to have found love with each other.

    Hallmark movie

    The movie was based on the novel by James Michael Pratt, which became a New York Times bestseller when it was released in 1988.

    The Screen Actors Guild nominated White for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.

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  • Virgin River star Benjamin Hollingsworth plays a pastor who helps a woman rediscover her faith in new Hallmark romance

    Virgin River star Benjamin Hollingsworth plays a pastor who helps a woman rediscover her faith in new Hallmark romance

    Virgin River star Benjamin Hollingsworth will headline the new Hallmark romance An Easter Bloom alongside Aimee Teagarden. The film, which will premiere as part of the network’s Spring Into Love lineup, also stars Robyn Bradley, Frances Flanagan, and Drew Henderson.

    “Winning a flower competition could mean saving everything Amanda (Aimee Teegarden) holds dear, but can Pastor Derrick (Benjamin Hollingsworth) show her that having a little faith could be the key? Find out Saturday in the all-new original DaySpring movie, ‘An Easter Bloom,’” reads a post promoting the movie.

    New Hallmark romance

    In An Easter Bloom, Aimee Teagarden stars as Amanda, a gardener who teams up with a veteran florist to compete in an annual Easter flower arrangement competition.

    Her partner in the competition introduces Amanda to her son, Derrick (played by Benjamin Hollingsworth), who is the pastor of a local church. He helps renew her beliefs and find comfort in her faith during the Easter season while Amanda helps Derrick find the most authentic version of himself.

    About the cast

    Benjamin Hollingsworth stars as Dan Brady in the hit Netflix series Virgin River. He has also appeared on the TV shows Code Black, Backstrom, Suits, CSI: Miami, and Joe Pickett, and Nancy Drew. Hollingsworth has starred in the Hallmark movies Signed, Sealed, Delivered (2013), Lucky in Love (2014), A Wish Come True (2015), Love Under the Olive Tree (2020), A Splash of Love (2022) Romance in Style (2022), and The Santa Summit (2023).

    Aimee Teagarden

    Aimee Teagarden played Julie Taylor on the award-winning NBC TV series Friday Night Lights. She has also appeared in the TV shows Hannah Montana, 90210, CSI: Miami, Aim High, Star-Crossed, and Notorious.

    She made her Hallmark debut in the 2018 movie Once Upon a Christmas Miracle. She also starred in My Christmas Family Tree (2021), Autumn in the City (2022), Christmas Class Reunion (2022), and Heart of the Matter (2022).

    In 2022, Teagarden signed an exclusive multi-picture deal with Hallmark Media.

    “I’m so excited and grateful for this partnership with @Hallmark and can’t wait to keep telling stories from the ❤️,” she wrote in an Instagram post.

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  • Kevin McGarry: “I think Nathan was created for Elizabeth”

    Kevin McGarry: “I think Nathan was created for Elizabeth”

    Kevin McGarry said he believes that his character on When Calls the Heart, Nathan Grant, was meant to be with Elizabeth (played by Erin Krakow).

    “I have always liked Nathan and Elizabeth as a couple,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “I think Nathan was created for Elizabeth.”

    McGarry spoke to ET’s Deidre Behar ahead of the Season 11 premiere of the show. In addition to Nathan and Elizabeth’s romance, he touched on how important Lucas (played by Chris McNally) would continue to be part of the series.

    Kevin McGarry

    Kevin McGarry joined the cast of Hallmark’s longest-running original series in Season 6. His character, Mountie Nathan Grant, was sent to the small town of Hope Valley following the death of Mountie Jack Thornton (played by Daniel Lissing).

    He soon found himself developing feelings for Jack’s widow, Elizabeth Thornton (played by Erin Krakow). Over the next two seasons, he found himself in competition with businessman Lucas Bouchard for Elizabeth’s affections. She finally chose Lucas in a controversial Season 8 finale that left some fans saying they would never watch the show again.

    Breakup

    Though Lucas and Elizabeth became engaged in Season 9 and spent much of Season 10 planning their wedding, they broke off their engagement.

    When Hallmark released a poster for Season 11, it showed Nathan and Elizabeth gazing at each other affectionately. Both McGarry and Krakow have confirmed that there will be a romance between their characters in Season 11.

    McGarry said he believes Nathan stayed single during the last two seasons because he was meant to be with Elizabeth.

    “I think it was always meant to be this and that they were meant to be endgame,” he said. “And I really like how it’s been done.”

    Erin Krakow also weighed in.

    “I think it’s really nice. It’s always wonderful working with Kevin and really lovely to get to tell this story and kind of give that back to all of the Kevin fans — and the Nathan fans,” she said.

    Nathan and Lucas

    McGarry also teased a possible shirtless scene, saying “Nathan’s been working out in his garage” and adding that fans will see “more of Nathan
    in Season 11 than you ever have before.”

    He also mentioned co-star Chris McNally’s character Lucas, saying he will remain an important part of the series. The actor also apologized to fans who were upset by the change in storylines.

    “…I’m sorry if anybody is hurt, but I really think the show is moving to a really beautiful place and I hope you stick around and watch it,” he said.

    Season 11 of When Calls the Heart will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, April 7 at 9/8c.

  • Hallmark renews The Way Home for third season

    Hallmark renews The Way Home for third season

    Hallmark Media has renewed its hit series The Way Home for a third season. The show, which stars Andie MacDowell and Chyler Leigh, has been a surprise hit for the network.

    “Heather Conkie, Alexandra Clarke and Marly Reed continue to blow us away with the cleverly crafted story they’ve created and careful thought they put into every single detail,” said Kelly Garrett, vice president of development at Hallmark Media. “While some questions will be answered by the end of this season the Landrys’ journey is far from over and there’s much more to tell.”

    The Way Home

    The Way Home premiered in January 2023. It was one of two new series Hallmark debuted last year after canceling its beloved dramas Good Witch and Chesapeake Shores. (The other series to premiere, Ride, was quietly canceled after Season 1.)

    The series starred Andie MacDowell in her first Hallmark role since headlining the network’s show Cedar Cove. MacDowell plays Del Landry, the matriarch of a family that has been broken since the disappearance of her son in 1999.

    Grey’s Anatomy alum Chyler Leigh plays Kat Landry, Del’s daughter, who has been estranged from her mother for 20 years. When Kat loses her job and splits from her husband, she receives a letter from her mother asking her to return home. Kat leaves Minneapolis with her teenage daughter, Alice (played by Sadie Laflamme-Snow), and moves back to the small town of Port Haven, New Brunswick.

    When she arrives home, she finds out that her mother never sent a letter. Alice becomes intrigued by the cold relationship between her mother and grandmother and begins looking into the disappearance of her uncle.

    Alice gains the ability to time travel and receives advice and help from her teacher Elliot (played by Evan Williams).
    Heather Conkie and Alexandra Clarke, a mother-daughter team who have worked on the CBC series Heartland, are executive producers on the show. They created the series with Marly Reed.

    Another season

    Fans were thrilled when Hallmark announced the show would come back for a third season.

    “Best news!!” wrote one on Facebook. “One of my favorite shows! I’m so happy it’s coming back!”

    “I’ve loved getting to know the Landry family!” wrote another. “So happy we get another year with them and the rest of the town!”

    Hallmark did not give a premiere date for Season 3, saying only that the show would return in 2025. Both Season 1 and Season 2 debuted in January. Season 2 of the series will draw to a close on Sunday, March 31st.

  • Kat Barrell and Tyler Hynes show off their roller disco moves in new movie

    Kat Barrell and Tyler Hynes show off their roller disco moves in new movie

    Kat Barrell and Tyler Hynes get to show off their skating moves in the new Hallmark rom-com Shifting Gears, which premieres this weekend as part of the Spring Into Love lineup.

    In a short Instagram video, Hynes and Barrell show off some impressive moves on the roller rink. Hynes, who posted the clip, also teased co-star Kristin Booth.

    “If you close your eyes and listen carefully…you can still hear @kristintbooth falling in that roller rink,” Hynes wrote in the caption.

    Booth replied with, “@tyler_hynes bahahahaha!! It was quite the fall but worth it to get all that delicious bts footage!

    New movie

    In Shifting Gears, Barrell plays mechanic Jess Barro, who runs a garage with her father (played by James Burke). Business is tight thanks to competition from a big auto repair shop chain in town. When she finds out about an auto restoration competition, she enters in the hope of winning the prize money.

    But she’s shocked to discover that she will be competing with her ex-boyfriend Luke (played by Tyler Hynes). As the competition revs up, Jess and Luke’s personal rivalry becomes a big hit with the audience and producers alike. After a few misfires, they work through their former relationship and start to bond again over their shared love of classic cars.

    “As they speed toward the finish line, Luke has a disastrous painting mishap that threatens to ruin Jess’ chances of winning,” reads a synopsis. “And when she learns his dad plans to buy her family’s garage, she suspects the painting disaster was sabotage rather than an accident. Will their relationship break down again and be beyond repair, or will they be able to restore it and jump-start their romance once again?”

    A family affair

    Hynes has had a blast posting footage from the set. In another video, he showed his nieces visiting him behind the scenes.

    “Lonely guy,” he wrote in the caption. “Family shows up at work. For the first time ever.”

    He was clearly thrilled to see his nieces, Haylie and Ella, and show them around the set.

    “Now they don’t answer my calls,” he joked.

    He also posted a tribute to his mother (which can be viewed here) when she came to visit.

    “Her love of going to the movies, which she passed to me, is surpassed only by her love of seeing them being made,” he wrote.

    Make Her Mark

    Shifting Gears was directed by Crystal Lowe (yes, of Signed, Sealed, Delivered fame) as part of Hallmark’s Make Her Mark directing program. Initiated by Ashley Williams, the program allows aspiring female directors to work with experienced women filmmakers on Hallmark movies.

    Lowe has posted regularly from the set, thanking just about everyone who worked on the film.

    “I’m so stoked that I can finally share the journey of directing with all of you!” she wrote in an Instagram post. “This was the beginning!! Meet @scott891 one of the other producers on #shiftinggears who held my hand during the stress and excitement of prep! Prepare yourselves to come on the journey with me and meet all of the incredible people that made this movie happen!!”

  • Hallmark makes it official: Two new Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies are in the works

    Hallmark makes it official: Two new Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies are in the works

    Hallmark has shared the news with fans that two new Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie is in the works.

    “#POstables, we’re back with an all new mystery that you won’t want to miss!” read a post shared to X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. “#SignedSealedDelivered #2024 Share your reactions with @Eric_Mabius, @RealCrystalLowe, @kristintbooth, and @geoffgustafson.”

    Fans were ecstatic.

    “We are beyond excited!! We can’t wait to see what the future holds! We “Trusted the Timing,’” wrote one fan.

    “Best news ever!!!!! Thank you for hearing the #POstables cannot wait to see this new movie!!” wrote another.

    New Signed, Sealed, Delivered movies

    Fans have been waiting for years for a new installment in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series.

    The franchise, which began in 2013 as a television series, was written by Martha Williamson, who also created Touched by an Angel. The show followed four employees of the United States Postal Service’s Dead Letter Office.

    Oliver (played by Eric Mabius), Shane (played by Kristin Booth), Rita (played by Crystal Lowe), and Norman (played by Geoff Gustafson) take it upon themselves to track down intended recipients of undeliverable mail.

    After a successful first season, the show was changed from a 1-hour episode format to a 2-hour film format. Twelve films were released over the next seven years:

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered For Christmas (2014)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris With Love (2015)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told (2015)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Impossible Dream (2015)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From the Heart (2016)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: One in a Million (2016)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You (2016)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Higher Ground (2017)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Home Again (2017)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Road Less Travelled (2018)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: To the Altar (2018)

    Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made (2021)

    Hints, hints, and more hints

    Over the years, Hallmark execs have dropped more than a few hints about the return of the series.

    During a red carpet interview at a 2023 ceremony for the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, then-Hallmark CEO Wonya Lucas told The Sun that the network was working on a comeback for Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

    “We’re pretty excited about that,” she said and added, “I will tell you, the POstables are alive and well. They send me notes, they send me pictures, every time I go to my office, they’re there….So, we are really listening to our fans and leaning into the fandom.”

    Series star Eric Mabius also mentioned something during a 2023 interview with Australia’s Today Extra. When he was asked if there was a new project he was working on, he replied, “There is, and what a wonderful project.”

    He made reference to Martha Williamson, the series creator, and said, “It’s just brilliant because it’s a mixture of romance and comedy and heartfelt intent without being syrupy.”

    Details

    Though Hallmark shared the news, the network said little about the films, apart from the fact that the first will premiere in 2024. Eric Mabius responded to the announcement with a joke.

    “WHUUUTTTTTT?!?” he wrote. “Nobody told ME?!?”

    Hallmark has not yet announced when the new movie will air. We will update it as soon as more information becomes available.

    Hallmark posted this photo to social media regarding a new Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie. (Image: Twitter.com/@hallmarkmystery)
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  • Eight fascinating facts about Brittany Bristow

    Eight fascinating facts about Brittany Bristow

    Brittany Bristow is a well-known face in the Hallmark universe. The actress has starred in a long list of Hallmark titles, including all four of the movies in The Love Club series.

    Here are eight fascinating facts about one of our favorite actresses:

    1. She acted in her first movie at the age of 10

    In 2002, Bristow appeared in Perfect Pie, a movie about two best friends who reunite in their hometown after 30 years apart. Bristow played a young version of Patsy, a character also played by Rachel McAdams and Wendy Crewson.

    2. She comes from a filmmaking family

    Bristow’s parents are Agnes and Leif Bristow, who are well-known in the filmmaking industry for their skills as writers, directors, and producers.

    They have worked together on several projects, including the Hallmark movies A Tail of Love and Love on Safari.

    Bristow said her mother was able to write the lead character in A Tail of Love, Bella, with her in mind.

    “My mom definitely tried to throw in a couple of little jokes she felt I could run with,” Bristow said in an interview with Media Village. “I felt close to Bella. I loved her as a character and feel very lucky I got to play her. She’s very sure of who she is. She knows what she wants out of life. She’s very confident, incredibly caring, generous and selfless. She’s just [cautious] about being vulnerable.”

    3. She studied filmmaking at the University of Toronto

    “That was, for me, an interesting foray into understanding film from a different perspective,” she said in an interview with TV Goodness. “…And when I left that program, I started working as a junior producer for a film production company that a friend of mine was in charge of and had started a number of years prior.”

    “I learned the ropes through that and then started working with my parents a little bit more. And I started doing script coverage and helping with the budgets for things. All the while, of course, my true passion was acting, and I was hopeful that that would be my career one day.”

    4. She has starred in more than a dozen Hallmark movies

    Bristow’s first Hallmark movie was 2017’s Love Blossoms. The film starred
    Shantel VanSanten as a perfume designer who is trying to replicate her late father’s signature scent in time for Valentine’s Day.

    (On a side note, it was on the set of this film that VanSanten met Victor Webster, who would later become her husband.)

    She went on to star in Christmas Next Door (2017), Royal Matchmaker (2018), Love on Safari (2018), Christmas at the Palace (2018), Love, Romance & Chocolate (2019), Holiday Date (2019), A Tail of Love (2022), A Safari Romance (2023), The Love Club: Nicole’s Pen Pal (2023), The Love Club: Sydney’s Journey (2023), The Love Club: Lauren’s Dream (2023), The Love Club: Tara’s Tune (2023), and Love on the Right Course (2024).

    5. She guest starred on the Hallmark series Good Witch

    Bristow played a character named Marinda in Spellbound, the 2017 Halloween special episode of the series.

    6. She is a ride-or-die Hallmark fan

    In several interviews, Bristow has mentioned how grateful she is to work with Hallmark.

    “I’m so grateful to be a part of the Hallmark family, and I don’t take the fact I was welcomed so beautifully by them for granted,” she said. “As an actor, it’s rare you feel completely supported. But here you are, supported by these wonderful people who go to work every day making family-friendly [entertainment] where everyone can feel hopeful. Honestly, one of the greatest gifts of my life is being a part of the Hallmark family. I wouldn’t be where I am had they not welcomed me.”

    7. She is pals with fellow Hallmark stars Lacey Chabert, Will Kemp, and Andrew Walker

    Bristow got to know Chabert and Kemp when they worked together in the 2019 Hallmark movie Love, Romance & Chocolate. The movie was filmed on location in Belgium. In an Instagram post from the set, Bristow talked about sneaking out with Chabert for snacks.

    “no @thereallacey & I did not run away from set to find hot chocolate & waffles…” she wrote.

    She later posted a birthday message for Kemp.

    “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” she wrote. “You are such a wonderful person. Thank you for being someone who’s always there for me, you’re a voice of reason (sometimes), a shoulder to cry on, let’s face it — you’re one of my very favourite people. I’m so grateful that we’ve had the opportunity to work together twice and I hope we get to do it again soon! Thanks for being the best big brother (sometimes little brother) and friend I could ever ask for.”

    Andrew Walker posted a tribute to Bristow and her parents from the set of their 2023 movie A Safari Romance.

    “With all that’s going on right now in our industry and a lot of our peers out of work, this has been a trip and a job that we truly feel so fortunate to be a part of,” he wrote. “This was a family project, written, produced, acted and directed by the beautiful Bristows. I was brought into the fold and immediately felt like family. Thank you for this unforgettable experience, jobs like this are few and far between.”

    8. Her love life is like a Hallmark movie

    Bristow met her husband, business owner Dustin Keating, in 2019. The pair became engaged exactly two years later, according to a social media post by Bristow.

    “Two years to the day from our first date that we weren’t sure was a date (but both wanted it to be a date) you asked me to marry you…,” she wrote, “but I wasn’t sure if you were really asking but I wanted you to be really asking so I asked you if it was really happening and you said yes!”

    The pair married in September 2022.

    “I want to go as far as possible, as long as it’s with you,” she wrote in an Instagram post from their special day.

    Brittany Bristow with her husband, Dustin Keating, in Italy. (Image: Instagram/@britbristow)
    Brittany Bristow with her husband, Dustin Keating, in Italy. (Image: Instagram/@britbristow)
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  • Six new Hallmark movies coming to TV

    Six new Hallmark movies coming to TV

    Six new Hallmark movies are coming to TV. During the Spring Into Love programming event, new rom-coms and dramas will premiere every Saturday on Hallmark Channel from March 23 to April 27.

    The movies will star Hallmark favorites such as Tyler Hynes, Kevin McGarry, Erin Krakow, Natasha Burnett, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Kat Barrell, and Robert Buckley.

    New Hallmark movies

    First up is Shifting Gears, which stars Kat Barrell, Tyler Hynes, and Kristin Booth. Barrell plays mechanic Jess Barro, who runs a garage with her father (played by James Burke). Business is tight thanks to competition from a big auto repair shop chain in town. When she finds out about an auto restoration competition, she enters in the hope of winning the prize money.

    But she’s shocked to discover that she will be competing with her ex-boyfriend Luke (played by Tyler Hynes). As the competition revs up, Jess and Luke’s personal rivalry becomes a big hit with the audience and producers alike. After a few misfires, they work through their former relationship and start to bond again over their shared love of classic cars.

    “As they speed toward the finish line, Luke has a disastrous painting mishap that threatens to ruin Jess’ chances of winning,” reads a synopsis. “And when she learns his dad plans to buy her family’s garage, she suspects the painting disaster was sabotage rather than an accident. Will their relationship break down again and be beyond repair, or will they be able to restore it and jump-start their romance once again?”

    An Easter Bloom

    Next up is An Easter Bloom, starring Aimee Teagarden and Benjamin Hollingsworth.

    In this movie, Hollingsworth plays a pastor who helps a woman rediscover her faith during the Easter season.

    Blind Date Book Club

    Erin Krakow and Robert Buckley will star in Blind Date Book Club. Krakow plays Meg, a woman who can’t decide between taking over her mother’s bookstore or pursuing the career of her dreams. When a popular author (played by Buckley) joins one of her book clubs, she finds the courage to go after what she wants.

    Legend of the Lost Locket

    Viv Leacock and Natasha Burnett will star In The Legend of the Lost Locket. Leacock and Burnett, who star as Joseph and Minnie Canfield on When Calls the Heart, will play a pair of people trying to track down a lost locket that grants true love to the person who wears it.

    Love in Niagara

    Jocelyn Hudon and Dan Jeannotte star in Love in Niagara. Hudon plas a woman who decides to take her honeymoon to Niagara after her fiancé calls off the wedding. She meets a handsome stranger (Jeannotte) and rediscovers her adventurous side.

    Branching Out

    Branching Out features Grey’s Anatomy star Sarah Drew as Amelia, a single mother who tracks downd her daughter’s IVF donor.

    “It becomes a journey of trust, love, and discovering the meaning of family,” according to Hallmark.

    Branching Out will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, April 27 at 8/7c.

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  • Hallmark gives fans a first look at Season 11 of When Calls the Heart

    Hallmark gives fans a first look at Season 11 of When Calls the Heart

    Hallmark has shared a first glimpse at Season 11 of When Calls the Heart. In several short video clips released on the Hallmark Channel website, fans get a look at Elizabeth, Rosemary, Nathan, and the rest of the Hope Valley crew.

    The clips make a point of teasing a budding romance between Nathan and Elizabeth, something fans responded to with enthusiasm.

    “Thank you Hallmark we have been waiting for a Nathan Elizabeth Romance forever!!!” wrote one fan on Hallmark’s Facebook page.

    Season 11

    Hallmark announced back in January that Season 11 of When Calls the Heart would premiere in April 2024. This was great news for fans, who weren’t sure how long they would have to wait for a return of their favorite show.

    The series used to premiere new seasons in February. But in 2022, the start date got pushed back to March. In 2023, fans had to wait until July for Season 10. Hallmark launched two new shows that year, The Way Home, which was renewed for another season, and Ride, which was canceled.

    Hearties weren’t sure if they would have to wait until July for the next season, which is why they responded so enthusiastically to the April premiere date.

    When Calls the Heart

    Erin Krakow shared the Season 11 poster on her Instagram page in January.

    “Season 11 poster & premiere date hard launch!” wrote Erin Krakow in an Instagram post.

    “Ahhhhhh!!! We just binged S10 and are so eagerly awaiting S11!!” wrote one fan in the comments.

    Other fans were thrilled that it looked like Elizabeth and Nathan were finally going to get together.

    “Elizabeth and Nathan always made better sense. Much better chemistry too,” she wrote.

    Elizabeth and Lucas (Chris McNally) broke off their engagement toward the end of Season 10 during his run for governor.

    In January, Krakow released a statement about the upcoming season.

    “Time has flown by since the end of season 10 and I cannot put into words how thrilled I am for the premiere of season 11 of When Calls the Heart,” said Krakow in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “It’s such a warm feeling to know that we have the loyalty, love, and longevity to make it this far and that is a true testament to our viewers.”

    Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming with Hallmark, also weighed in.

    “If there’s anything we can take away from the success of When Calls the Heart, it’s that these stories, these characters, and essentially their lives, is that they resonate and they matter deeply to so many of our viewers,” she said. “Eleven seasons is a celebration of the kind of heartwarming content that we strive to bring to the fans every year.”

    First look

    In one of the video clips Hallmark shared, Elizabeth tells Rosemary she wants to change her hair. Rosemary gasps and says, “Brilliant!”

    In the next scene, Elizabeth walks into a room showing off her cute new bob and Nathan stares at her in rapture.

    “Wow, you look, you look great,” he says.

    Change seems to be a major theme in Season 11. In addition to a blossoming romance between Elizabeth and Nathan, Rosemary and Lee will continue to adjust to their new life as parents. And Lucas Bouchard will take on new duties in his role as governor.

    “The most exciting season in a long time is coming, counting the days, can’t wait for S11,” wrote one on Facebook.

    Season 11 of When Calls the Heart will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, April 7 at 9/8c.

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  • Gilles Marini and Brooke D’Orsay solve a crime of fashion in new Hallmark mystery set in Paris

    Gilles Marini and Brooke D’Orsay solve a crime of fashion in new Hallmark mystery set in Paris

    Days of Our Lives star Gilles Marini will join Brooke D’Orsay in the new Hallmark mystery Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch. The movie, which takes place amid the backstage chaos of Paris fashion week, also stars French actress Paloma Coquant.

    New Hallmark mystery

    In Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch, Brooke D’Orsay plays Lauren, a psychologist who lands her dream job as a performance coach at the Parisian-based House of Trésor. With the help of her calming techniques, the company pulls off the perfect show at fashion week. But when the production is interrupted by screams, Lauren finds her friend Charlotte (played by Coquant) standing over the dead body of Trésor’s business manager.

    A local detective (played by Marini) is called in to investigate. Lauren helps him uncover a counterfeit handbag ring, which leads them to a long list of suspects.

    Gilles Marini

    Gilles Marini is known for his roles in Days of Our Lives, Brothers & Sisters, Switched at Birth, and Devious Maids. He has also appeared in Sex and the City: The Movie, All I Wish For, and The List.

    Born in France to a Greek mother and an Italian father, Marini worked in his father’s bakery until he began a career as a model in the United States.

    In a recent interview, the actor talked about how much he enjoyed working with Hallmark.

    “I’ve never been treated so well on any set on any network like Hallmark,” he told Digital Journal. “It was literally a dream job. I was dying to work with Hallmark for a long time.”

    The actor also spoke about how important his Greek heritage is.

    “Every single morning, when I wake up, I call my mom,” he said. We are addicted to speaking to each other to make the family better every day. We’ve been doing that regularly for the last 10 years. …My mother is a strong woman, and she is my Greek heritage. She is a Greek goddess, for sure. Even if she is 100 percent wrong, I always say, ‘Yes, mom.’ I love it.”

    Brooke D’Orsay

    Brooke D’Orsay is a Hallmark veteran. She starred in the Hallmark movies Miss Christmas (2017), Christmas in Love (2018), Nostalgic Christmas (2019), A Godwink Christmas: Second Chance, First Love (2020), Beverly Hills Wedding (2021), A Dickens of a Holiday (2021), Wedding of a Lifetime (2022), A Fabled Holiday (2022), and A Not So Royal Christmas (2023).

    The actress has also had roles in the TV shows Two And A Half Men, Royal Pains, and Drop Dead Diva.

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  • Tyler Hynes showed some love for his mother on social media and we are swooning

    Tyler Hynes showed some love for his mother on social media and we are swooning

    Tyler Hynes recently shared a post from the set of his latest movie featuring his mother and we are swooning. In a video clip posted to Instagram, Hynes shared footage of his mother visiting him on the set of his latest project.

    “My mother raised me on movie sets,” he wrote in subtitles for the video. “This is the first time she’s joined me back on set in 20 years.”

    After panning across the set, Hynes zoomed in on his mother, who waved to him from behind a mask.

    Number one fan

    Hynes made it clear he’s his mother’s number one fan in the video, which has been viewed 62,000 times.

    Some fans who watched the clip chimed in with their own praise for his mom.

    “I met your Mom at Christmas Con when you and the guys were doing your Photo Ops,” wrote one. “Very sweet and very proud of her son!”

    “The beauty of this post is heartwarming!” wrote another. “Mom, you did an absolutely amazing job on raising a wonderful man. Loving that mom gets VIP sitting as she should!”

    New movie

    In the Instagram video, Tyler showed his mom watching him work.

    “She can sit wherever she likes,” he wrote. “Even behind the actor I’m looking at cause she’s my mom.”

    He continued with, “Her love of going to the movies, which she passed to me, is surpassed only by her love of seeing them being made.”

    He showed her filming the action and wrote, “She can pull out her phone and film whatever she likes cause she’s mom.”

    He ended the video with a heart and the word, “Moms.”

    Tidal wave of emotion

    Fans were moved and responded in the comments section.

    “As a mom of a boy… this makes my ❤️ SO happy. My son is not an actor but when I watch him play football it feels like this,” wrote one.

    “This post says everything about you.. great men love and respect their moms,” wrote another.

    Fellow Hallmark star Crystal Lowe responded with, “Your mom is awesome sauce!”

    Tyler Hynes

    Hynes has starred in the Hallmark movies Falling For You (2018), It’s Christmas, Eve (2018), Flip That Romance (2019), Wedding March 5: My Boyfriend’s Back (2019), The Mistletoe Secret (2019), Winter in Vail (2020), On the 12th Date of Christmas (2020), It Was Always You (2021), Sweet Carolina (2021), Roadhouse Romance (2021), My Christmas Family Tree (2021), An Unexpected Christmas (2021), Always Amore (2022), Three Wise Men and a Baby (2022), Time For Him to Come Home For Christmas (2022), A Picture of Her (2023), and Never Been Chris’d (2023).

    He recently finished shooting the romantic comedy Shifting Gears with Kat Barrell and Kristin Booth.

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  • Candace Cameron Bure to star in new mystery series

    Candace Cameron Bure to star in new mystery series

    Candace Cameron Bure will star in a new mystery series. The actress, who starred in the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries series for Hallmark, will take the lead role in a cozy mystery series for Great American Family.

    “There’s nothing more exciting for me than being back in the cozy mystery genre,” Bure said in a statement. “Mysteries are so fun to watch and to try to solve. I hope our faithful fans and audiences fall in love with the townspeople of Sweet River, Texas, and Ainsley McGregor’s keen eye for solving mysteries. In this next-level mystery series, the family dynamics and developing relationships alone should keep you coming back for more!”

    New mystery series

    Bure will star as Ainsley McGregor in The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker. The movie, which is based on the cozy mystery novel by Candace Havens, will also star Aaron Ashmore.

    The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker is the first mystery movie for Great American Family, which was launched by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott in 2021. The company, which runs two cable networks, has produced a slew of romantic comedies and holiday movies and recently launched an original TV drama series, County Rescue.

    In The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker, Bure stars as Ainsley McGregor (Cameron Bure), a former Chicago criminologist who returns to her Texas hometown in order to open a market for artisans titled Bless Your Arts. According to a synopsis from the network, “Ainsley, however, cannot deny her first love is crime solving and accepts a position teaching a criminology class at the local community college. Her skills quickly become a major asset to the small town when a murder occurs at a winery owned by her friend, who now stands accused of the crime.”

    Aurora Teagarden

    Some fans are still reeling from Bure’s 2022 announcement that she was leaving Hallmark Media to take a job producing and starring in movies and shows for Great American Family.

    The actress had recently finished making the 18th movie in the popular Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, a series of films based on novels by Charlaine Harris. Many fans assumed the films would be finished without the star.

    But in 2023, Hallmark announced it was releasing a prequel to the series, Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New, starring Hallmark has started making a series of prequel films with actress Skyler Samuels in the title role.

    “Our viewers have been waiting for more adventures with Aurora and her friends — what better way to do that than to take them back to when the young, amateur sleuth was just coming into her own?” said Emily Merlin, development manager of programming at Hallmark Media. “The Aurora Teagarden franchise is a fan favorite and we’re excited to share this new chapter with viewers.”

    Producer Mike Barbuto recently announced that two more movies are in the works.

    “…I can tell you that the next two are going to be even better than the first one,” Barbuto said on the Hallmark Mysteries and More podcast.

    Great American Family

    Great American Family is expected to announce more original movie mysteries in the next few weeks, according to Deadline. CEO Bill Abbott said the movies will fit right in with the rest of the network’s programming.

    “Our cozy mysteries are crafted in the heritage of the classic storytelling that has evolved since Agatha Christie coined the term in the 1930s and set the stage for one of the most popular genres of entertainment,” he said.

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