Paul Greene may return to When Calls the Heart. The actor, who played Dr. Carson Shepherd on the hit Hallmark series, says he has discussed with producers the possibility of coming back.
“There have been talks about some different approaches to completing that storyline or expanding that,” he said during a recent interview with TV Insider.
A return to When Calls the Heart
Greene played Dr. Carson Shepherd on When Calls the Heart from 2017-2021. His character first arrived in Hope Valley to work on the railway. After an injury left him unable to go back to his old job, he got work at Abigail’s Cafe. He became close to a local nurse, Faith Carter (played by the awesome Andrea Brooks), though he never revealed that he was a doctor.
When Abigail’s adopted son Cody became sick, Shepherd correctly diagnosed him with appendicitis and performed an operation that saved his life. He finally admitted that he was a trained doctor who had stopped practicing medicine after the death of his wife.
He eventually became the town’s doctor and began courting Faith Carter. She eventually left town to pursue her medical studies in Chicago. When she returned to Hope Valley, the two picked up where they left off. Carson Shepherd was ready to propose when he got word that he had been accepted into a prestigious surgical fellowship in Baltimore.
He accepted the fellowship and left Hope Valley — and Faith Carter — far behind.
In the off-season
Fans were hoping to see Carson Shepherd return in Season 9, but apart from a few mentions by Faith, he wasn’t on the show.
During a May 2021 appearance on “The Bubbly Sesh” podcast, Greene said he wasn’t sure if his character would come back.
“A lot can happen in the off-season,” he said. “There’s a big-time jump in between seasons. Faith’s character became a doctor in the off-season. There’s so much that can happen.”
Busy year
In his most recent interview, Greene said he’s loved being part of When Calls the Heart, but that he is also busy with other projects. Greene has two Christmas movies coming out this season. In the CBS film Fit For Christmas, he co-stars with Amanda Kloots. In Great American Family’s I’m Glad It’s Christmas, he will share the screen with Gladys Knight and Jessica Lowndes.
“When you’re on a series, you might be able to sneak in one or two things,” he said. “I loved being on it, but there are so many other projects I wanted to do. I helped produce a pilot. I’ve been involved in a film for two years that I’m proud of. If I was on a series, that all wouldn’t happen. I also had a baby and was able to be there for the whole pregnancy. I would never give up any of that for extra seasons. I have my gift…I make music, I have a podcast. I’m writing a parenting book. I try to be as present for all the little things.”
