Less than a year after canceling its rodeo-themed show Ride, Hallmark Channel has announced it is creating a new TV series. The network will adapt the 2020 bestselling novel The Chicken Sisters into a show starring Lea Thompson, Schuyler Fisk, Wendie Malick, and Genevieve Angelson. “New lil fam,” wrote Schuyler Fisk in an Instagram post. The novel, written […]
Laci J. Mailey is unlucky in love in new movie
Chesapeake Shores star Laci J. Mailey plays a woman who is unlucky in love in the new Hallmark romcom Betty’s Bad Luck in Love. The movie, which will premiere this weekend as part of Hallmark Channel’s New Year New Movies lineup, also stars Virgin River’s Marco Grazzini. In an Instagram post, Grazzini talked about how […]
Hallmark and competitor Great American Media announce layoffs
Both Hallmark Media and its main competitor, Great American Media, have announced layoffs. Four executives have been laid off at Hallmark, including the company’s chief marketing officer. At Great American Family, 13 executives were affected, including the CFO and head of marketing. Some of the layoffs at Great American Family were attributed to a recent […]
Hallmark gets its Jane Austen on in February movie lineup
Hallmark is mixing things up with its Loveuary lineup. The network announced that all four new movies premiering in February will have a Jane Austen theme. “Jane Austen’s stories are timeless and continue to resonate with readers and viewers of all ages,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media. “Our […]
Everything you need to know about watching Hallmark without cable
As cable prices soar and providers drop and add channels seemingly at random, more and more viewers are looking for alternatives. For Hallmark fans who want to cut the cord with cable — or for those who have lost one or more of Hallmark’s three networks with their cable provider — there are alternatives. We […]
Katie Findlay tackles New Year’s resolutions in new Hallmark movie Sealed With a List
Katie Findlay plays a woman determined to tackle a list of New Year’s resolutions in the new Hallmark movie Sealed With a Kiss. The film, which also stars Evan Roderick and Kelcey Mawema, will premiere as part of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas lineup. New Hallmark movie In Sealed With a List, Findlay stars as […]
Vic Michaelis gets stuck in a time loop in the new Hallmark Hanukkah movie Round and Round
Vic Michaelis gets stuck reliving the same night over and over in the new Hallmark Hanukkah movie Round and Round. The film, which will premiere as part of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas lineup, also stars Bryan Greenberg and Rick Hoffman. New Hallmark movie In Round and Round, Vic Michaelis stars as literary editor Rachel. […]
With little fanfare, Hallmark cancels one of its TV shows
Hallmark Channel has canceled its short-lived rodeo series Ride. The show, which starred Nancy Travis, Beau Mirchoff, Jake Foy, Sara Garcia, Tiera Skovbye, and Tyler Jacob Moore, lasted only one season. Hallmark Ride premiered on Hallmark Channel on March 26, 2023. It was the second of two new series to premiere on the network in […]
Tyler Hynes finds himself in a love triangle in new Hallmark Christmas movie
Tyler Hynes is at the center of a love triangle in the new Hallmark Christmas movie Never Been Chris’d. “Naomi (Janel Parrish) and Liz (Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes) had the same high school crush — but what happens when Chris (Tyler Hynes) comes back into their lives for the holidays?” reads a Hallmark Channel Facebook post promoting […]
Morgan Kohan shares sad news about When Hope Calls
Actress Morgan Kohan shared the sad news that the TV series When Hope Calls is unlikely to come back for a second season. “It’s a show that keeps popping by to say, ‘Hi,’ but you never know,” she told Hello magazine. “I think it’s a really beautiful world and I’m so happy for my time […]
A ghost plays matchmaker in new Hallmark movie
In the new Hallmark movie 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost, the lively spirit of a 1920s flapper refuses to leave her home until she helps the woman who is selling it find love. Madeleine Arthur stars as Ruby, who has haunted her former home for decades, only to befriend Anna (played by Julie Gonzalo), […]
Eleven new Hallmark movies coming to TV in October
Eleven new Hallmark movies — including rom-coms, mysteries, and Christmas films — are coming to television in October. With Countdown to Christmas kicking off on Hallmark Channel and Miracles of Christmas starting on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, fans of heartfelt, romantic, and uplifting TV will be spoiled for choice all month. In addition to the […]
New Hallmark movie transports viewers to Italy
The new Hallmark movie A Very Venice Romance will premiere as part of the network’s Fall Into Love lineup. The romantic comedy, which stars Stephanie Leonidas and Raniero Monaco Di Lapio, was filmed on location in Italy. New Hallmark movie In A Very Venice Romance, Stephanie Leonidas stars as Amy, a New York City executive […]
Emilie Ullerup and Peter Mooney play best friends who reunite in new Hallmark movie
In the new Hallmark movie Retreat To You, Emilie Ullerup and Peter Mooney star as exes brought back together by fate. “Will it be a happy reunion for high school sweethearts Abbie @emilie.ullerup and Sean #PeterMooney when they end up at the same wilderness retreat?” reads the caption for Hallmark’s post promoting the movie. New […]
Grey’s Anatomy star Sarah Drew will headline new Hallmark movie
Sarah Drew will star in the new Hallmark movie Guiding Emily. The drama, which will premiere on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, also features Will and Grace star Eric McCormack. In an Instagram post, Drew shared a photo and a plot summary of the movie, telling fans they might want to have some tissues on hand […]
Dylan Neal returns to Hallmark — this time as the bad guy — in rodeo series Ride
Dylan Neal is back on the Hallmark Channel. The actor, who co-starred with Andie MacDowell in the Hallmark series Cedar Cove, has taken a role on the rodeo show Ride. “I hope you’ll check out Hallmark’s new TV series called RIDE,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “…I have a recurring role on this show […]
TV show featuring When Hope Calls star Morgan Kohan headed to The CW
A Canadian TV show featuring Morgan Kohan of Hallmark’s When Hope Calls is coming to The CW. The network announced it will begin airing Sullivan’s Crossing, which premiered on CTV in March 2023. Based on the bestselling books by author Robyn Carr, who also penned the Virgin River series, the series also stars Hallmark favorite […]
Tyler Jacob Moore: Fans of Hallmark’s show Ride are in for some big surprises
Tyler Jacob Moore told fans of Hallmark’s show Ride to hold on tight because they are in for a surprise. In a recent interview, the actor said that many of the questions raised in the first part of the season — about his character and others on the show — will soon be answered, though […]
Actress Tiera Skovbye cried tears of joy when she found out she was joining the cast of Hallmark’s new rodeo show Ride
Actress Tiera Skovbye said booking the role of Missy McMurray in Hallmark’s rodeo show was so exciting that she cried when she got the news. “My manager normally when there is good news he’ll call me and it will be like a conference call with the whole team and if there’s bad news, he’ll just […]
Bull riders, mountains, and a man named Tuff: Everything you need to know about Hallmark’s new show
Hallmark’s new show Ride will premiere at the end of March. Set on a ranch in the Rockies, the series stars Nancy Travis as the matriarch of a multigenerational rodeo dynasty. The show is the second new series Hallmark has introduced this year. The Way Home premiered on January 15. Hallmark’s new show In a […]
A wedding, a baby, and a new romance are all in store on Season 10 of When Calls the Heart
A writer for the hit Hallmark show When Calls the Heart dropped some exciting hints about upcoming developments in Season 10. These included mentions of Elizabeth’s upcoming wedding to Lucas, the birth of Lee and Rosemary Coulter’s baby, and a possible romance for Nathan. “I hope the Hearties are feeling as excited as we are […]
The end of When Calls the Heart? Fans fear Season 10 will be the show’s last
Fans disappointed that the Season 10 premiere of When Calls the Heart has been pushed back to July now have another issue with Hallmark Channel. Some Hearties fear that the series is coming to an end. “I have shared with other #Hearties that my fear is S10 is the last season,” wrote one fan on […]
Hallmark announces new series and fans have one question: Where is When Calls the Heart????
Hallmark announced the premiere of another new series and fans have one question: Where is When Calls the Heart? Hearties have been told they will have to wait until July to see Season 10 of the hit Hallmark series. Season 9 finished filming in May and fans have been clamoring for new episodes ever since. […]
All the new movies coming to Hallmark in February
February is finally here and six new movies are coming to Hallmark. The “Loveuary” lineup includes a new installment in the Curious Caterer Mysteries, as well as a romantic comedy set in Paris. New movies coming to Hallmark Sweeter Than Chocolate First up is Sweeter Than Chocolate, starring Eloise Mumford, Dan Jeannotte, and Brenda Strong. […]
The mystery deepens in Episode 2 of Hallmark’s new show
Hallmark’s new show The Way Home continues with Episode 2. For a full recap of Episode 1, click here. The Way Home, “Scar Tissue” When the episode opens, Kat is driving around looking for Alice, who disappeared earlier that day. Alice is in 1999, talking to a teenage Elliot. He refuses to believe she is […]
All the details from the first episode of Hallmark’s new show
The Way Home, “Mothers and Daughter” When the first episode started, it was 1814 in the small town of Port Haven, New Brunswick. A young woman is running through the woods, pursued by an angry mob. When she reaches a pond in a clearing, she murmurs a few words and jumps in. She comes to […]
Screenwriter Rod Spence says a new Good Witch movie could be coming to Hallmark
The man who created Cassie Nightingale said he believes a new Good Witch movie could be coming to Hallmark. In an interview on the Keep Heartland Strong YouTube channel, screenwriter Rod Spence said he doesn’t think the TV series will return but Hallmark will probably make more movies. “I think there’s a very good chance […]
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!” […]
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 […]
Hallmark is filming three new Wedding Veil movies. Star Lacey Chabert revealed the news during a recent appearance on The Jimmy Fallon Show.
“We’re going to be back,” Chabert said.
The Wedding Veil trilogy, which aired earlier this year on Hallmark, starred Chabert, Alison Sweeney, and Autumn Reeser, as three college friends who discover an antique wedding veil rumored to bring true love to its owner. In The Wedding Veil, Chabert’s character meets the man of her dreams. In the sequel, The Wedding Veil Unveiled, it was Reeser’s turn to meet a handsome stranger. And in The Wedding Veil Legacy, Sweeney found her happily ever after. The movies were among the network’s most-watched films of the year.
Three new Wedding Veil movies
During her appearance on The Jimmy Fallon Show, Chabert talked about how happy she was to appear in Hallmark movies.
“I think 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.”
Chabert shared with the audience that she had starred in 33 movies for Hallmark Media. Fallon claimed to have seen every one of them.
“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.”
Wedding Veil Trilogy
The Wedding Veil trilogy made headlines when it premiered on the Hallmark Channel in January 2022. Fans were excited to see three of their favorite stars together in three different movies.
And while the focus of each movie was true love, Chabert said that the story was really about the friendship between the women.
“I think the sisterhood is at the heart of these stories,” Chabert said during a Facebook Live event to promote the third film.
Reeser agreed, saying that the relationship between the three characters reminded her of her own friendships in real life.
“The love stories that have meant the most to me in my life are the love stories between me and my friends,” she said. “I think friendship gets put in a second-place position and for so many of us, those are the relationships that carry us through our life.”
New movies
Chabert didn’t reveal much about the new Wedding Veil movies, other than the fact that the first one will premiere in January 2023.
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 career
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 things. The actor has a son with Kate Austin, a musical career, and films that will soon be released.
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.”
The Hallmark Christmas comedy Three Wise Men and a Baby is the most-watched cable movie of the year, according to Nielsen ratings.
The movie, which starred Andrew Walker, Tyler Hynes, and Paul Campbell, premiered on November 19 during Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas lineup.
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.
Three Wise Men and a Baby
In the movie, a self-absorbed firefighter Luke (Walker) discovers a baby left in his station with a note asking him to look after the child. He brings the baby home to his mother (played by Margaret Colin) who agrees to look after him. But when she gets called out of town unexpectedly, Luke must look after the infant with help from his brothers, played by Hynes and Campbell.
The premise was a departure from the typical single-woman-finds-love-at-the-holidays formula Hallmark Media has become so famous for. But it worked, according to fans.
“This is the BEST!” wrote one fan on Facebook. “Team those three up, again!”
“Hallmark, you got a winner with this movie!! If you haven’t seen it, watch it!! wrote another.
The trio movie
Hallmark found similar success when it paired up three of its other big names, Alison Sweeney, Lacey Chabert, and Autumn Reeser, in The Wedding Veil trilogy. In those romantic comedies, three best friends experienced the mystery of a lace veil rumored to bring true love to its owner.
The movie was inspired in part by fans. Chabert said that fans often asked her if they would see some sort of cross-over movie, with more than one Hallmark leading lady.
Those films did so well that Hallmark tried its hand with three leading men. The gamble paid off.
“Belly laughs,” wrote one fan. “Absolutely adorable movie!”
Walker, Hynes, and Campbell managed to raise a lot of hype for the movie from their on-set antics. In a TikTok video that went viral, the three stars emerged from their trailers wearing elf costumes. Assuming macho poses, they then strutted off together as the George Baker Selection’s hit “Little Green Bag” played in the background.
Three Wise Men and a Baby will air throughout the Christmas season. The next showtime is Saturday, November 26 at 4/3c.
Hallmark’s new TV show The Way Home is set to debut in January and already fans have some questions. The network released a trailer for the series, which will star Andie MacDowell and Chyler Leigh. When it posted the clip to social media, fans immediately raised questions.
“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.”
Other fans commented on how similar the show seemed to other Hallmark series.
“A mysterious and beautiful woman with magical powers? Sounds like Good Witch to me,” wrote another.
Hallmark’s new TV show
The Way Home follows the lives of three generations of women – Kat Landry (Leigh), her 15-year-old daughter Alice (Sadie Laflamme-Snow) and Kat’s mother, Del (MacDowell). More than 20 years prior, tragic events prompted Kat to move away from her small, Canadian farm town of Port Haven. She and her mother became estranged for reasons Kat has never shared with her daughter.
With Kat’s marriage coming to an end and having just been laid off from her job, she decides to return home after receiving an unexpected letter from Del urging her to come back. Although Alice is not happy with the decision, Kat and her daughter arrive at her family’s farm, though the reunion isn’t what Kat had envisioned. As the three generations of women slowly work on finding their footing as a family, they embark on an enlightening – and surprising – journey none of them could have imagined.
Though Hallmark has been vague with many details, the network shared that time travel is a big part of the story.
“What if you could see your family before it was broken?” says the narrator in the trailer Hallmark released. “What if the only way forward is to go back?”
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.
MacDowell’s return to Hallmark
From 2013 to 2015, MacDowell starred as Judge Olivia Lockhart on the Hallmark series Cedar Cove. Based on the books by Debbie Macomber, the show followed the residents of a small town on Puget Sound in Washington State. The ensemble cast also included Sarah Smyth, Dylan Neal, Teryl Rothery, Brennan Elliott, Barbara Niven, Cindy Busby, and Jesse Hutch.
Hallmark canceled the series after three seasons. In the past two years, Hallmark has canceled two other series. Good Witch ended after seven seasons. Chesapeake Shores finished after six. Fans have been trying to get both series back on the air.
“I’m so disappointed the great series we had were canceled,” wrote a fan on Facebook. “I wish another channel would pick them up the actors didn’t want their series to end.”
“Sounds interesting, looking forward to it. Please give it a chance before canceling,” wrote a fan.
The Way Home will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, January 15 at 9/8c.
Erin Krakow and Pascale Hutton promised fans that Season 10 of When Calls the Heart will be one of the best.
“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!!!!!!”
Season 10 of When Calls the Heart
Filming has finished on Season 10 of the hit Hallmark series. The show’s stars have been sharing photos and videos from the set on MacInnes Farms in Langley, British Columbia. (The farm has a great Facebook page, which can be found here.)
“That’s a wrap!” called Jack Wagner in a short video with co-star Kevin McGarry.
In the post that accompanied the video, Wagner wrote, “S10 in the Books!! Incredible to be a part of such a magical show. I hope you all enjoy S10…”
Sadness, wonderment, hope, and joy
In another post, Krakow quoted her onscreen character.
“Elizabeth Thatcher once said ‘For what is life but a bittersweet mixture of sadness, wonderment, hope, and joy.’ 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 11?
Andrea Brooks, who is pregnant with her second child, hinted at the possibility of Season 11.
“Bumping my way across the finish line! Last day of shooting for season 10,” she wrote. “Could not have done it without all the support from this incredible cast and crew. Love you guys to pieces. Thank you @hallmarkchannel for continuing to allow us to tell stories from Hope Valley. Season 11 would be… heaven?”
When Calls the Heart premiered on Hallmark Channel in 2014. Based on a series of books by Canadian author Janette Oke, the show followed a wealthy woman, Elizabeth Thatcher (played by Erin Krakow), who moved to a small Canadian mining town to work as a teacher. She fell in love with and eventually married a mountie — short for Royal Canadian Mounted Police —named Jack Thornton (played by Daniel Lissing).
The series has had its share of controversy. At the end of Season 5, Jack Thornton was killed shortly after his wedding to Elizabeth. In Season 6, two men were brought in to replace him, and they vied for Elizabeth’s hand until she chose between them in the Season 8 finale.
Many fans were upset when Elizabeth chose businessman Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) over Mountie Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry). Some vowed never to watch the show again.
In August, Hallmark Media Exec VP President of Programming Lisa Hamilton Daly told reporters at a press event that Season 10 of When Calls the Heart would premiere in the middle of 2023.
Andrea Brooks is pregnant with her second child. The When Calls the Heart star revealed she has been filming Season 10 of the show while expecting.
“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!”
Andrea Brooks is pregnant
Brooks, who plays Dr. Faith Carter on Hallmark’s hit series, gave birth to her daughter, Viola, in December 2019. In an interview shortly before Viola’s birth, Brooks said she was trying to keep a level head.
“I’ve been attending my pregnancy classes and trying to avoid spending too much time on Google,” Brooks said. “I’m already a worry-wart, and sometimes the internet keeps me up worrying about some pretty strange things.”
When Calls the Heart cast
Brooks said her co-workers have been incredibly supportive.
“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.”
It’s a boy!
Brooks said she is expecting a boy at the end of the year. She has a list of possible names in mind but it is 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.”
As for cravings, Brooks said she has been eating lots of hummus and veggies and drinking hot chocolate. During her first pregnancy, she craved pickles, eggnog, and Subway sandwiches.
“Erin Krakow still texts me pictures of subs to this day because it was such an integral part of my last pregnancy,” she said.
BFFs and When Calls the Heart co-stars Erin Krakow and Pascale Hutton tried the social media trend known as the Tortilla Challenge and the results ae hilarious.
The Tortilla Challenge has become a sensation on TikTok, with more than 943 million views and celebrities from The Rock to Kevin Hart giving it a try. In the try-not-to-laugh challenge, both participants fill their mouths with water and take turns slapping each other with tortillas.
Krakow and Hutton gave it a try on the set of When Calls the Heart. They wore sweats and sneakers but were in full hair and makeup for filming. Hutton went first, but the two were laughing too hard after the first try to go on.
Erin Krakow and Pascale Hutton
Erin Krakow and Pascale Hutton have been close friends since they began working together on Hallmark’s When Calls the Heart in 2014. Their characters, Elizabeth and Rosemary, originally clashed on the show but eventually became friends.
After a few tense moments during Season 8, the pair became closer than ever. In an interview earlier this year, Hutton said Rosemary will always be on Elizabeth’s team.
“Hands down, and this has always been unwavering, Rosemary has always been Team Elizabeth,” she said. “She just wants Elizabeth to find love again. There’s no bigger champion of love than Rosemary of love in Hope Valley.”
The Tortilla Challenge
In the video, Hutton goes first, slapping Krakow with a soft tortilla. Krakow immediately spits out her water, spraying Hutton in the face. Both begin to laugh but then Hutton remembers she is wearing her makeup for the show.
“Pam’s going to be so mad,” she says to Krakow, referring to When Calls the Heart’s lead makeup artist Pam Anseeuw.
“I’m so sorry!” Krakow says.
“You have to go tell Pam!” Hutton says.
The video, which has close to 27,000 “likes” on Instagram, also inspired an abundance of comments.
“You two win for the best #TortillaChallenge!!!” wrote one fan.
“I am crying laughing!!!” wrote one of the show’s crew members.
Anseeuw weighed in with the comment, “You are both grounded.”
The cast of When Calls the Heart is currently filming Season 10 of the hit series. Krakow and Hutton may or may not still be grounded.
Hallmark fans without cable, rejoice! You can still get your Countdown to Christmas fix. Hallmark has announced a partnership with the streaming service Peacock TV. This means Hallmark fans can watch their favorite network at a fraction of the cost of a full cable subscription.
Between Countdown to Christmas and Miracles of Christmas, Hallmark will release 40 new movies during the holiday season. The films include sequels to Hallmark favorites and will star network regulars such as Alison Sweeney, Andrew Walker, Erin Cahill, Tyler Hynes, Kimberly Sustad, Marilu Henner, and Paul Campbell.
Watch Hallmark without cable
It has become even easier than ever to watch Hallmark without cable. Hallmark Media recently announced it has partnered with Peacock TV. The streaming service will have a Hallmark hub on its home page, with the network’s shows and movies available on demand.
“As we continue to make Peacock a premium streaming destination, Hallmark is exactly the type of brand we want to align with,” said Kelly Campbell, president of Peacock and Direct-to-Consumer at NBCUniversal, in a statement to Deadline. “Through this groundbreaking partnership, we’re giving Hallmark viewers a unique viewing experience while continuing to grow our audience, boosting engagement across both brands.”
The Hallmark hub on Peacock will feature live simulcasts of all three channels with some material available on-demand streaming the next day. A library of Hallmark movies will also be available.
“We’re proud to enter this partnership with Peacock and bring our widely beloved Hallmark content to their subscribers,” said Wonya Lucas, president and CEO of Hallmark Media. “The opportunity to provide our devoted fanbase access to all three of Hallmark’s linear networks will allow our audience to continue to grow and connect in meaningful ways.”
Peacock subscriptions can be paid on a monthly or an annual basis, starting at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. (Premium subscriptions cost more.)
Other ways to watch Hallmark without cable
Hallmark content is also available on the streaming service Philo. Subscriptions are $25 per month with no contract required.
The streaming service Frndly TV also has Hallmark shows and movies available, with subscriptions starting at $6.99 a month.
The Hallmark Movies Now app has annual subscription plans that allow users to view Hallmark content for $4.99 a month.
Amanda Wong was waiting for just the right time to tell her mother about her new job. The Canadian actress had landed the role of Mei Suo on Hallmark’s longest-running original series When Calls the Heart and she wasn’t sure exactly how to tell her mother and her grandmother. She filmed the entire season before her mother’s best friend stepped in and told Wong’s mother all about it.
“Her best friend comes up to me,” Wong said, “and she goes, ‘Your mom just asked me if you were on a show….I panicked and I said yes.’”
Wong told the story during an appearance on a new show launched by Edify Films, a Christian distributor of When Calls the Heart DVDs and merchandise.
The Edify Show was inspired by the kindness of the When Calls the Heart fans, according to a post on the Edify Films Instagram page.
“We wanted to create a program unlike anything that’s been made before,” reads the post. “But more importantly, with so much bad news being reported, it’s about time to have a reliable source for good news and positive stories. We’re working hard to bring you just that. We hope you love it.”
When Calls the Heart
Hallmark released the first episodes of When Calls the Heart in 2014. Produced by Michael Landon Jr., the show was based on a series of novels by Janette Oke. The series quickly became an international success, launching a spinoff show and inspiring an annual convention.
Amanda Wong joined the cast in Season 9 as pharmacist Mei Suo, who rode into town surrounded by mystery.
In her interview on The Edify Show, Wong talked about filming her first scene with series regular Kevin McGarry.
“I was a little intimidated,” she said.
She soon found out that McGarry, who plays Mountie Nathan Grant, has a great sense of humor.
“It’s 3 in the morning and this guy is cracking jokes….It’s just wonderful,” she said.
The Edify Show
Edify Films produces merchandise celebrating When Calls the Heart and distributes DVDs of the series that include behind-the-scenes footage and cast interviews.
The first episode of The Edify Show featured a conversation with Wong and interviews with three people involved in a heartwarming true story. A post on Edify’s Instagram page described it as, “An incredibly heartfelt story of uncommon generosity when a woman loses her great grandmother’s wedding ring in the Atlantic Ocean, and the extraordinary measures taken by a complete stranger who drives 2 hours and sleeps in his car to help her find her ring. You won’t want to miss this story. It’s beautiful.”
Soap star Kim Matula will make her Hallmark debut in the new movie Ghosts of Christmas Always. In an exclusive interview with TV Cheddar, the Emmy-nominated actress said she is thrilled to be part of the Countdown to Christmas lineup.
“Hallmark movies are so beloved!” she said. “I’m thrilled to finally be in one. To quote my aunt, an avid Hallmark movie viewer, ‘There’s no nasty language and people are just nice.’ It’s hard to be inundated daily with the tragedies of the world. These films are a reminder that not everything has to be so dark. These movies fill you with cheer and immediately make you feel cozy.”
Hallmark debut
In Ghosts of Christmas Always, Matula plays Katherine, who works for the Department of Restoring Christmas Spirit as a Ghost of Christmas Present.
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, “Katherine loves her job, visiting Earth every Christmas to help one unsuspecting soul rediscover their Christmas spirit. But this year has something unusual in store for her. Along with her co-workers, Ghost of Christmas Past Arlene (Tan Chinn) and Ghost of Christmas Future Roy (VelJohnson), their assignment is a man named Peter (Ian Harding). They’re not sure why they’ve been assigned to him because, unlike their typical cases, Peter’s Christmas spirit is on point. When it appears that Katherine and Peter just might be fated for each other, their assignment starts to head down an unusual path toward none of them could have expected.”
Kim Matula
Kim Matula is best known for playing Hope Logan on the hit soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. In 2014, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her work on the series.
Matula has appeared in the movies Spilt Milk, Dawn Patrol, and Fighting With My Family. She has also appeared on the TV shows Leverage: Redemption, Impeachment: American Crime Story, and The Sex Life of College Girls. She recently finished filming Tapawingo, a comedy featuring Billy Zane, Jon Heder, Gina Gershon, and John Ratzenberger.
In an exclusive interview with TV Cheddar, Matula talked about her work, her passion for advocacy, and what it was like to make her first Hallmark movie.
TVC: You were on The Bold and the Beautiful for six years and you were even nominated for an Emmy for your portrayal of Hope Logan. What did working on a soap opera teach you, both about acting and about show business?
Kim Matula: Working on B&B was such a wonderful introduction into the world of acting. It provided so much. The best thing I got from it though is after seeing myself on screen day after day, I learned what I needed to work on as an actor. Sometimes what I’d be feeling inside, wouldn’t translate onto the screen the way I thought it would. Particularly feelings of anger. I remember seeing an episode pretty early on where I had to be really angry and it just did not translate! I was shocked. It was a wake-up call that I guess I suppress those feelings! So, it was all a big learning process and a great way to hone my acting skills.
TVC: Your social media accounts show that you are a passionate advocate for animal welfare and the Black Lives Matter movement. Why is advocacy so important to you?
Kim Matula: I am a huge advocate for everyone being treated with dignity and respect. No one is better than anyone else. We all have families and friends that we love more than anything and the grief we feel when a loved one is taken, is the same grief. It’s deep and it lasts forever. I often look around and am so disheartened by the world. To ignore the realities of the lives around us that are brutally kept at a disadvantage, especially so the lives of a select few can be propped up, is not a reality I can accept. We have to be a more empathetic society.
TVC: You have tackled some serious material in your career as an actress, from your work on The Bold and the Beautiful to your work on 9-1-1 Lone Star. But in the film Tapawingo — and on your social media feed — you prove you are a skilled comedienne. What was it like putting those skills to use with some of the best in the business?
Kim Matula: Comedy has always been my first love. The decision to leave Bold was not easy but ultimately I did it so I could pursue comedy. And I’ve been very fortunate to have gotten to explore and play on comedies like LA to Vegas and Tapawingo. And even a little bit in Ghosts of Christmas Always! Having other skilled comedians to work off of truly brings me a sense of joy that can be hard to find.
TVC: Hallmark Christmas movies have become an institution. They are watched by audiences around the world and have inspired many imitations. Why do you think people find these stories so compelling? Was there anything that surprised you about working on a Hallmark movie?
Kim Matula: Hallmark movies are so beloved! I’m thrilled to finally be in one. To quote my aunt, an avid Hallmark movie viewer, “There’s no nasty language and people are just nice.” It’s hard to be inundated daily with the tragedies of the world. These films are a reminder that not everything has to be so dark. These movies fill you with cheer and immediately make you feel cozy.
TVC: Is there any particular message you hope audiences take away from Ghosts of Christmas Always?
Kim Matula: I think a good takeaway from this movie is that love can present itself at any time and in many different ways. Especially when you least expect it. Sometimes you just have to loosen the reins and let life come to you. It can surprise you in all sorts of beautiful ways.
Calling Hallmark “a second home for our family,” Alexa and Carlos PenaVega have signed a deal to star in and produce multiple films for Hallmark Media.
In a joint statement to Deadline, the couple said Hallmark has been wonderful to work with.
“Over the last four years,” they said, “they have given us opportunities to grow as actors and producers all while raising our children, even if it means having the family on set!”
“Alexa and Carlos PenaVega have become an important part of the Hallmark family over the years and we couldn’t be happier to extend our partnership with them,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media. “Whether starring together or headlining their own movies, the energy, creativity and passion they bring to each project is infectious and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead.”
Alexa and Carlos Pena Vega
Both Alexa and Carlos got their start in show business as children. Alexa made her debut as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kid movie franchise in 2001. She went on to guest star on TV shows such as Unsupervised and Royal Pains and appeared in the movies Hairspray, Broken Hill, and The Devil’s Carnival.
Carlos starred in the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush. He released his first solo album in 2014.
The pair met at a Bible study group and were married in 2014. They have three children together: Ocean King PenaVega, Kingston James PenaVega, and Rio Rey PenaVega.
They have published two books with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. What If Love is the Point: Living For Jesus in a Self-Consumed World was released in June 2022. Ocean’s World: An Island Tale of Discovery and Adventure was released in October 2022.
Hallmark movies
Alexa starred in the Hallmark movies Destination Wedding, Christmas Made to Order, and Taking a Shot at Love. Carlos headlined A Midnight Kiss. The two co-starred in Enchanted Christmas (2017), Love at Sea (2018), and Love in the Limelight (2022). They also appeared together in Hallmark’s Picture Perfect Mysteries, which the network recently canceled.
In a joint statement, the couple said they have enjoyed their work with Hallmark.
“Developing projects alongside them has been a highlight of our careers thus far. We are thrilled to be able to continue creating content that is family friendly and current while maintaining its core values that we love so much. Hallmark is special and we are looking forward to many more projects together.”
Will there be a Season 7 of Chesapeake Shores? Hallmark Channel wrapped up the sixth season of its hit series Chesapeake Shores on October 16. The finale was jam-packed with plot developments. Kevin and Sara have their baby, Evan proposed to Abby, Mick turned the family business over to Abby, Luke and Bree broke up and kinda got back together, and Megan and Mick got remarried.
Most fans were thrilled with the way the story lines wrapped up.
“Absolutely BEAUTIFUL ending to a stunning series!” wrote one Chessie on Facebook. “I sobbed my heart out.”
Some have already decided that six seasons isn’t enough. There are already two petitions on Change.org asking for Hallmark — or Great American Family — to renew the series for Season 7.
Season 7 of Chesapeake Shores
Chesapeake Shores has been a staple of Hallmark programming since it premiered in 2016. Based on the best-selling books by author Sherryl Woods, the show followed a single mother (Meghan Ory), who returns to her small coastal hometown following a divorce. She is immediately thrown back into the drama of her large family and she reconnects with ex-boyfriend Trace Riley, who was played by Jesse Metcalfe. The show also starred Dianne Ladd as the family’s formidable matriarch, Nell O’Brien, and Barbara Niven and Treat Williams as Abby’s parents. Brendan Penny, Emilie Ullerup, Laci Mailey, Jessica Sipos, and Andrew Francis also starred in the show.
For six seasons fans watched the O’Brien family navigate the ups and downs of their lives. Metcalfe dropped out of the series shortly before filming began on Season 5. After his character left town, a handsome, eccentric billionaire (played by Robert Buckley) turned up in Chesapeake Shores. He eventually won over Abby with his charms.
‘Comforting and entertaining’
Some fans have decided that more seasons of the show are needed. So far, two petitions have been started on Change.org to save the series.
“‘Chesapeake Shores’ is a family-friendly, family-oriented, comforting and entertaining show that we’d love to see renewed by Hallmark Channel or picked up by another network (Great American Family?)” reads the text of one of two petitions on Change.org. “It’s perfect for the entire family to watch and has an extremely loyal following, even as it closes out its 6th year. For anyone who thinks you can never go home, this show inspires otherwise. And in these trying times, people need this type of uplifting programming to remind them of what’s important. We’re hoping that the producers will either convince Hallmark to change course and renew them for a 7th season, create a spinoff with many of the same characters, or else convince another outlet to pick them up.”
The text of the second petition reads, “For six seasons we have followed the O’Brien family and seen them through many ups and downs. The show can’t end now. Not when there are so many stories left to tell such as Jess and David having a baby and Connor and Margaret representing Dennis Peck for his trial. Please sign this petition so we can see this and so much more. We need this show back. If not for more seasons than at least for a few movies.”
The petitions can be accessed here and here.
Chessies, what do you think? Do we need more of the O’Brien family?
James Denton thinks there’s a good chance for a return of Good Witch. In a recent interview, the actor said the odds are decent that Hallmark could bring Good Witch back for another movie or another season.
“I think there’s a chance. I know [with] the popularity of the show and the circumstances under which it ended sort of abruptly that it would not surprise me if we revisit it,” said Denton, who played Dr. Sam Radford in the show and the movies that made up the Good Witch franchise.
Return of Good Witch
Fans have been clamoring for a return of Good Witch since the show was abruptly canceled in July 2021. Only three episodes of Season 7 were left to air when Hallmark announced it would not renew it for another season.
“Good Witch has enchanted viewers for over a decade,” said Randy Pope, Hallmark’s senior vice president of programming and development. “We…extend our gratitude and thanks to the entire cast and crew for their dedication and hard work.”
Fans felt blindsided by the decision, especially since it seemed to come out of nowhere. They immediately began several petitions on change.org and began sending letters and emails to Hallmark asking the network to keep the show on the air.
When the series became popular on Netflix, fans asked the streaming platform to consider making the show. Fans also approached Bill Abbott, former Hallmark CEO, asking him to consider reviving the show on Great American Family, a new network he recently started.
After a year of campaigning, fans thought they had made progress when a Hallmark exec hinted at a return of the franchise.
During an appearance at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, Lisa Hamilton-Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media, told reporters the network was considering what to do with several of its franchises.
“As far as Good Witch, I think we’re always interested in thinking about what we can do with our most popular IP,” Hamilton-Daly said.
Catherine Bell weighs in
Catherine Bell, who played Cassie Nightingale in the movies and the show, sparked excitement in a recent video on the Cameo app in which she said a movie might be in the works.
“Hopefully we’ll get a movie done here one of these days and bring all those characters back,” Bell said in her message to two fans who recently got married. “That is the hope we are working on but we’ll see if it actually happens but working on it.”
Denton confirmed the possibility of a Good Witch return during an interview with TV Insider to promote his latest Hallmark film, Perfect Harmony.
“Nobody’s made me an offer,” he clarified. “There’s nothing in the works, but I think the odds are decent just because I know the network respects the franchise. It ran for 14 years between the movies and the series. So I think there’s a decent chance, but I had to say in the same breath there is nothing in the immediate works.”
The Hallmark Christmas movie Noel Next Door will premiere as the first original film of the network’s Countdown to Christmas 2022 lineup. Starring Natalie Hall and Corey Sevier, the movie tells the story of a single mom and the neighborhood Scrooge and how they end up falling for each other.
Natalie Hall posted about the movie on her Instagram page.
“Our sweet movie “Noel Next Door” is the premiere and first movie to start out @hallmarkchannel iconic countdown to Christmas,” she wrote in the caption. “I’m so looking forward to sharing this beautiful movie with all of you.”
The Hallmark Christmas movie Noel Next Door
In the movie, Hall plays Noelle, a hardworking single mom. When her son, Henry, (played by Callum Shoniker), is scolded by a grumpy neighbor, she jumps to her son’s defense. She doesn’t realize that the neighbor is actually a handsome man named Jeremy. When Jeremy comes to the diner where she works, she finds herself attracted to him. But Jeremy can’t believe such a beautiful woman would fall for him. As the two continue to bump into each other, Jeremy tries to summon the courage to ask Noelle out.
This is the second movie that Hall and Sevier have made together for Hallmark. The two starred in Road Trip Romance, which was released in May 2022.
“I had the best time shooting this film with my favorite crew in Ottawa,” Hall wrote in an Instagram post promoting the film. “Hilarious cast! And with the wonderful director @thesamanthawan leading the way.”
About the cast
Natalie Hall had parts on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Good Wife before landing the role of Colby Chandler on All My Children. She appeared in Pretty Little Liars, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and the CW reboot of the series Charmed. She starred in Hallmark’s Love’s Christmas Journey, which was based on the series by Janette Oke, as well as the Hallmark rom-com You’re Bacon Me Crazy.
Corey Sevier first appeared on a screen when he was six months old. Over the years, he has made more than 30 films, and had parts in the TV shows Cedar Cove, CSI: Miami, Heartland, Smallville, and Supernatural.
Noel Next Door will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Friday, October 21 at 8/7c.
Fans tuned in to the Chesapeake Shores series finale on Sunday for one last evening with the O’Brien family. In the final episode of Season 6, “All Or Nothing,” Chessies met Kevin and Sara’s new baby, saw Evan propose to Abby, and watched Megan and Mick say “I do” all over again.
“Just watched the finale,” wrote one fan on Facebook. “Sad to see it sign off, but an awesome closing show to a wonderful, enjoyable series. Great writing, great acting, and great crew. Thank you for all the evenings of lovely entertainment you have given us!”
“Absolutely BEAUTIFUL ending to a stunning series!” wrote another fan. “I sobbed my heart out.”
Chesapeake Shores series finale
The series finale was jam-packed with both action and emotion. After struggling with fertility issues and a miscarriage, Kevin and Sara had a healthy baby boy and named him Mick.
Mick Sr. then turned over the family business to Abby with the parting advice not to let it take over her life. Evan asked Abby to marry him. Luke broke Bree’s heart, before showing up at Mick and Megan’s wedding, giving audiences hope that they might make it after all.
Mick and Megan’s wedding went off without a hitch. The couple seemed to have resolved their issues and were planning to travel the world after their big day.
A fond farewell
Cast members have been sharing emotional posts on Instagram.
“I’ve been going through my photo album from this final season and want to share some special moments and memories,” wrote Barbara Niven in an Instagram post. “You #Chessies have become so dear to us, thanks for making it possible. Thanks also to all the people behind the scenes who made this show possible, including @hallmarkchannel, @dpaulsonprods, the producers, writers, cast and crew. I will never forget you.”
https://www.instagram.com
Treat Williams weighed in with his own post.
“Thank you @hallmarkchannel and @dpaulsonprods for Six great years playing Mick Obrien. I will miss this cast,” he wrote.
Chesapeake Shores premiered on Hallmark Channel in 2016. Based on the best-selling books by author Sherryl Woods, the show followed a single mother (Meghan Ory), who returns to her small coastal hometown following a divorce. She is immediately thrown back into the drama of her large family.
In addition to Meghan Ory, Barbara Niven, and Treat Williams, the series also starred Diane Ladd, Brendan Penny, Emilie Ullerup, Laci Mailey, Jessica Sipos, and Andrew Francis. Actor Jesse Metcalfe appeared on the series for the first four seasons playing Trace Riley, the on-again, off-again love interest of Abby O’Brien. He dropped out of the series shortly before filming began on Season 5.
The stars of the Hallmark Christmas movie Three Wise Men and a Baby have been sharing photos and videos from the set and it looks like the film will be laugh-out-loud funny.
“Buckle up,” wrote Paul Campbell in an Instagram post that featured the three stars posing in costume while the George Baker Selection’s hit “Little Green Bag” plays in the background.
“We had some good fun over on TikTok,” wrote Campbell’s co-star Tyler Hynes in his own post.
The Hallmark Christmas movie Three Wise Men and a Baby
The movie, which will premiere as part of Hallmark Channel’s 2022 Countdown to Christmas, stars Campbell, Hynes, and Andrew Walker as brothers who end up looking after a baby during the holidays. According to a synopsis from Hallmark, “…they find themselves on unexpected journeys of self-discovery” and begin to rebuild their relationships and rediscover their love of Christmas.
Cast and crew are hard at work on the movie, but it looks like the stars found some time to have fun. In a video they posted to TikTok, the three actors emerge from their trailers dressed as Christmas elves.
Viral video
Fans have enjoyed the video so much that they have reposted the video footage set to different songs.
“An insane amount of you posted your remix with some of the best song choices I’m still listening to as I get ready for work this morning,” Hynes wrote. “@awalkk35, @paulcampbellofficial will pick their favorite for their first ever tiktok post. And I’m gonna repost the one who gets the most votes below and on TikTok. So comment below with your fave song choice and I’ll post the full version soon 😉 @rachelboston made her pick, maybe more of our friends will cast their vote too 🙂 the beautiful list below:
1. Ennio Morricone “the good the bad the ugly”
2. Yello “oh ya”
3. Led zeppelin “immigrant song”
4. Thin Lizzy “the boys are back in town”
5. Acdc “back in black”
6. Mark ronson Bruno mars “uptown funk”
7. Genuine “pony”
8. Right said Fred “too sexy”
9. Michael Jackson “starting something”
10. Black sabbath “crazy train”
11. Donna summer “hot stuff”
12. Britney Spears “hit me baby”
13. Salt n peppa “whatta man”
14. Berlin “take my breath away”
15. LMFAO “party rock anthem”
Three Wise Men and a Baby will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, November 19 at 8/7c.
A Good Witch movie might be in the works. The star of the hit Hallmark franchise, Catherine Bell, told fans in a message on the Cameo app that she hopes to do one more film in the series.
“Hopefully we’ll get a movie done here one of these days and bring all those characters back,” Bell said in her message to two fans who recently got married. “That is the hope we are working on but we’ll see if it actually happens but working on it.”
Good Witch movie
The franchise got its start with the 2008 film The Good Witch. Bell starred in the movie as a mysterious woman named Cassie Nightingale who moved to the small town of Middleton. Though the locals were wary of her at first, she eventually wins them over with her kindness and good advice.
Hallmark went on to make a series of movies featuring the characters and in 2015, it debuted a TV series about Cassie Nightingale and her family. The show ran for seven seasons on Hallmark. The network shocked fans when it announced in July 2021 that the show was being canceled.
“Good Witch has enchanted viewers for over a decade,” said Randy Pope, Hallmark’s senior vice president of programming and development. “We…extend our gratitude and thanks to the entire cast and crew for their dedication and hard work.”
Fans mounted a worldwide campaign to get the show back on the air, appealing to Hallmark, Netflix, and Great American Family, a new network founded by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott.
Fresh hope
After a year of campaigning, fans thought they had made progress when a Hallmark exec hinted at a return of the franchise.
During an appearance at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, Lisa Hamilton-Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media, told reporters the network was considering what to do with several of its franchises.
“As far as Good Witch, I think we’re always interested in thinking about what we can do with our most popular IP,” Hamilton-Daly said.
Bell’s recent Cameo message has fans hopeful that they might see their favorite cast again.
In the video, which Bell recorded for two fans who recently got married, the actress said she always aspires to be like Good Witch’s Cassie.
“I’m always inspired by her and I always try to be more like her,” Bell said.
We will be following this story closely, so check back on TV Cheddar for more updates!
Aimee Teagarden and Evan Roderick will star in the new Hallmark movie Autumn in the City. The romantic comedy, which takes place in New York, will premiere as part of Hallmark’s Fall Into Love lineup.
Teagarden recently signed a multi-picture deal with Hallmark Media to star in several movies over the next two years. The first of the films, Heart of the Matter, premiered on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries in May.
“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.
New Hallmark movie
In the movie, Teagarden plays Piper, a woman who moves to New York City for a fresh start and to find her passion. As she works different temp jobs to pay the rent, she explores different parts of the city and eventually meets Austin, an aspiring writer trying to emerge from the shadow of his famous journalist mother.
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, “While Piper’s sunny optimism is at odds with Austin’s jaded personality, the magic of the autumn season soon brings them closer together. When Piper realizes her true passion is illustration, they decide to team up on a children’s book project, and in the process, discover what they’re really searching for just might be each other.”
About the cast
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) and Heart of the Matter (2022). She will also star in the upcoming Hallmark movie Christmas Class Reunion.
Evan Roderick starred as Officer Nick Anastas in the TV series Arrow. He appeared in the 2018 Hallmark movie Garage Sale Mysteries and the 2021 Lifetime movie Secrets of a Marine’s Wife. Roderick will star with Good Witch’s Kat Barrell in the upcoming Hallmark movie A Tale of Two Christmases.
Autumn in the City will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, October 15 at 8/7c.
Taylor Cole stars in the new Hallmark movie Pumpkin Everything, which will debut as part of the network’s Fall Into Love lineup. Based on the novel by Beth Labonte, the film tells the story of a woman who must return to her hometown to look after her autumn-loving grandfather.
Pumpkin Everything is the first in a series of movies Cole will star in for Hallmark after signing a multi-picture deal with the network.
“I’ve never been more proud to be a part of the @hallmarkchannel family. Forever growing together. #familyfirst #hallmarkmovies,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
New Hallmark movie
In Pumpkin Everything, Cole plays an up-and-coming novelist who must put her life on hold to return home to look after her grandfather (played by Michael Ironside) after he has an accident. Though she has an aversion to all things pumpkin spice, she ends up helping him run his pumpkin-themed store.
While helping out, she runs into her former boyfriend, played by Corey Sevier.
About the cast
Taylor Cole is a native of Texas. After working as a model, she landed a role in the TV series Summerland. She has appeared in the shows CSI: Miami, Two And A Half Men, The Glades, Supernatural, and The Originals. She made her Hallmark debut in the 2016 movie Appetite for Love. She has since starred in the Hallmark movies My Summer Prince, Christmas Festival of Love (2017), One Winter Weekend (2018), One Winter Proposal (2019), Unlocking Christmas (2020), One Winter Wedding (2021), South Beach Love (2021), and Making Spirits Bright (2021).
Corey Sevier had his first modeling job at six months old. His big break came when he was 7 years old and landed a role in the ABC series Family Pictures. He’s had roles in the shows 2030 CE, Wild Card, North Shore, Heartland, Smallville, and Instant Star.
From 2013 to 2014 he starred in the Hallmark series Cedar Cove as Seth Gunderson.
He has appeared in the romantic comedies A Star For Christmas (2012), Four Christmases and a Wedding (2017), Grounded For Christmas (2019), Heart of the Holidays (2020), It Takes a Christmas Village (2021) Road Trip Romance (2022), and Lemonade Stand Romance (2022).
Pumpkin Everything will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, October 8 at 8/7c.
Actor Jesse Metcalfe, who played Trace Riley on the Hallmark shows Chesapeake Shores, is returning to TV. The actor will star in the V. C. Andrews Dawn Cutler Series, a set of movies for Lifetime that will also feature Donna Mills, Fran Drescher, and Brec Bassinger.
“So excited to be a part of this amazing cast, playing ‘ORMAND LONGCHAMP’ in the new @lifetime movie series by the iconic author V.C. Andrews!!!” Metcalfe wrote in an Instagram post.
The post, which was “liked” by more than 9,000 people — including Hallmark’s Randy Pope — featured an article from Deadline about the new series.
Jesse Metcalfe returning to TV
Metcalfe has made several appearances on television since he announced in 2021 that he was leaving the hit Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores.
He competed on Season 29 of Dancing With the Stars and made an appearance on the British show The Masked Dancer. He also starred in the romantic comedy Harmony From the Heart for Great American Family, a new network started by the former CEO of Hallmark, Bill Abbott.
The actor revealed in 2021 that he was leaving Chesapeake Shores shortly before production began on Season 5.
“I just felt that there wasn’t really anything else I could do with the character,” he said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
Metcalfe made his final appearance on the show during the second episode of Season 5, which aired on August 22, 2021 His character, Trace Riley, left town after a quick goodbye to Abby O’Brien (played by Meghan Ory). When she asked him where he was going, he said he wasn’t sure.
“I think there’s something missing inside of me,” Trace said. “I tried to find it in my music. I tried to find it with us. Now I’m going to try to find it in myself.”
Working with Lifetime
Metcalfe got his start on television in 1999, when he began playing Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald on the soap opera Passions. He went on to star in Desperate Housewives and the re-boot of Dallas.
In 2015, he starred in the Hallmark Christmas movie A Country Wedding. He followed that with Christmas Next Door during Hallmark’s 2017 Countdown to Christmas. Metcalfe has also played retired Boston PD Detective Jeff Jackson in the Martha’s Vineyard Mystery series.
Earlier in the year, Lifetime’s parent company, A+E Networks, acquired the rights to author V. C. Andrews’ library of bestselling novels for screen adaptation. Over the summer, 10 million viewers tuned in to see the limited Lifetime series Flowers in the Attic: The Origin.
Author Janette Oke shared a faith-filled, heartwarming message with fans of the hit series When Calls the Heart during a recent appearance at Hope Valley Days. Oke, who wrote the book series that inspired the Hallmark series, spoke to Hearties at an annual event that allows fans to tour the set and meet the stars, crew, and creators of the show.
During a question-and-answer session with fans, Oke was asked what she hoped future generations would take away from the stories told on When Calls the Heart.
“I hope it still makes people connect,” Oke said. “Those emotional needs as individuals are to be shared. If we hold them to ourselves often we stagnate or we go in the wrong direction or we don’t understand our neighbor.”
When Calls the Heart fan reunion
Hope Valley Days takes place on the set of the Hallmark show. Over the course of two days, fans were able to explore the town of Hope Valley and meet the people who bring the show to the small screen.
When Calls the Heart, which debuted on Hallmark Channel in 2014, has amassed a huge following of loyal fans who refer to themselves as “Hearties.” Based on a series of books by Oke, they tell the story of a wealthy young woman who moves to a small coal-mining community to work as a teacher. The books and the show are filled with messages of faith, hope, and kindness.
In a recent interview with JLJ Media, the show’s co-creator, Brian Bird, described the show as a healing agent.
“I think we’re doing good work and I think we’re doing the right work on the show, but it’s not because of us, it’s that the audience is starved to death for this,” he said. “And when you give people food, they will just love you, they’ll be so loyal to you. And that’s why the audience keeps coming back every Sunday night. Shows this deep into their lifespan can get old, can get long in the tooth, and we’re not yet.”
Janette Oke
During her appearance at the convention, Oke — who is a devout Christian — said that God created us to be part of a community and that she hopes the stories told by the characters of Hope Valley continue to help people come together.
“Because even though our world changes — maybe we’ll be living on the moon — we still will be people and we still will those needs,” she said.
Season 10 of When Calls the Heart will premiere in 2023 on Hallmark Channel.
Three friends on a weeklong retreat rediscover their passions and purpose in the new Hallmark movie Girlfriendship. The movie, which will premiere as part of Hallmark’s Fall Into Love lineup, stars Tamera Mowry-Housley, Lyndie Greenwood, Krystal Joy Brown, and Brad James. It was directed by Keisha Knight Pulliam.
“Behind the scenes of all this Melanin poppin…#girlfriendssummergetaway,” wrote Mowry-Housley in an Instagram post promoting the movie.
“The last three weeks I made long lasting friendships, learned a lot about myself, worked with women who paved a way for me to see myself on screen and made a movie!” wrote Brown in her own Instagram post.
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New Hallmark movie
In the movie, Mowry-Housley plays Samara Williams, a woman who is celebrating both her birthday and what looks like an upcoming promotion with a trip to Charleston with her two best friends (played by Greenwood and Brown). But a mistake during the booking process means the women aren’t staying in the city but on Edisto Island, where they are expected to take part in a back-to-nature “rewilding” retreat.
Though it’s not the vacation they had in mind, the women try to make the best of the situation. They soon find themselves learning more than they expected at the hands of the retreat leader, Ariella (played by Samantha Beaulieu), a descendent of the Gullah Geechee people of Edisto Island.
Samara meets Kareem, a handsome Gullah doctor with a secret dream of becoming a chef. She starts to listen to the call of her inner artist and finds herself painting again for the first time in years.
About the cast and director
Tamera Mowry-Housley starred with her twin sister, Tia, in the hit series Sister, Sister. She starred in the Disney movies Twitches and Twitches Too, as well as the TV shows Family Guy, Roommates, Hollywood Darlings, and Melissa & Joey. She has headlined several movies for Hallmark, including The Santa Stakeout (2021), Christmas Comes Twice (2020), and A Christmas Miracle (2019).
Lyndie Greenwood is a Canadian actress who has appeared in the TV shows Flashpoint, Covert Affairs, Saving Hope, Nikita, Sleepy Hollow, S.W.A.T., and The Expanse. Krystal Joy Brown has starred in the TV shows Castle, Englishman in L.A., Sydney to the Max, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Keisha Knight Pulliam is perhaps best known for her role as Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show. She has also starred in House of Payne, The Christmas Aunt (2020), Radio Christmas (2019), Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta (2019), and Jingle Belle (2018).
Girlfriendship will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, October 1 at 8/7c.
Actress Alison Sweeney has signed a multi-picture deal to produce and star in content for the Hallmark Channel.
“Alison Sweeney has been an incredible creative partner for us over the years – both on screen as well as behind the camera as a producer,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media. “She’s long been a fan favorite and we can’t wait to continue our work together as we bring new stories to life.”
“I am thrilled to continue to work with Hallmark as they continue to support my work as an actress and as a producer,” said Sweeney in a statement through the network.
New Christmas movie
As part of the deal with Hallmark, Sweeney will appear in and serve as an executive producer for the Countdown to Christmas movie “A Magical Christmas Village.”
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, Sweeney plays Summer, an architect living in a small town where she’s raising her young daughter, Chloe. When her mother Vivian (played by Marlo Thomas), moves in, she sets up an heirloom miniature Christmas village resembling their town, and tells Chloe it grants Christmas wishes. As Chloe begins setting up the figurines, real-life events seem to mimic the scenes she creates, including Summer’s chance meeting with Ryan (Luke Macfarlane), a newcomer to their community. Ryan and Summer learn they share much in common. As they spend more time together, Ryan slowly helps Summer learn to open her heart to love again. Meanwhile, living under the same roof gives Summer and Vivian the chance to mend fences as the holiday nears and, perhaps with a little help from the magic of the Christmas village, the family will be brought closer together.
About Alison Sweeney
Sweeney began her acting at age four and at age 16, she joined the cast of “Days of Our Lives,” playing the Emmy-nominated role of Sami Brady. She also hosted 13 seasons of NBC’s inspirational series “The Biggest Loser,” has hosted numerous live television specials, and made many guest-starring appearances on popular television series and true crime podcasts. Sweeney serves as an Ambassador for Stand Up 2 Cancer and American Humane Association and is a member of the Entertainment Council for Feeding America.
Sweeney has headlined more than a dozen movies for Hallmark Media (formerly Crown Media) over the years. She has played amateur sleuth Hannah Swensen in the film series Murder, She Baked, which is based on the cozy mystery books by Joanne Fluke.
She starred in The Irresistible Blueberry Farm (2016), Christmas at Holly Lodge (2017), Time for You to Come Home for Christmas (2019), Good Morning Christmas! (2020), Open by Christmas (2021), Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas (2021), The Wedding Veil (2022), The Wedding Veil Unveiled (2022), and The Wedding Veil Legacy (2022).
Forty new Christmas movies will be released during Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas and Miracles of Christmas lineup this year. The event starts Friday, October 21st, and will feature non-stop holiday magic as the two channels air old favorites and new titles around the clock.
Countdown to Christmas
Hallmark stars headlining the movies include Alison Sweeney, Andrew Walker, Ashley Williams, Brennan Elliott, Brooks Darnell, Erin Cahill, Holly Robinson Peete, Jonathan Bennett, Kristoffer Polaha, Luke Macfarlane, Marilu Henner, Nikki DeLoach, Paul Campbell, Rachel Boston, Ryan Paevey, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Taylor Cole, Tyler Hynes, Victor Webster, and Will Kemp.
Other stars making appearances include Marlo Thomas, Ann-Margaret, Eve Plumb, Ellen Travolta, Reshma Shetty, and Tia Carrere.
The movies will feature original music and appearances by recording artists including Blake Shelton, Ledisi, Amy Grant, Lisa Loeb, and Tenille Townes.
The schedule:
Friday, October 21: “Noel Next Door”
Stars: Natalie Hall and Corey Sevier
A hard-working, single mom gets into a war of words with a neighbor who she feels is ruining Christmas, only to find that this misunderstood grouch just may steal her heart.
Saturday, October 22: “We Wish You a Married Christmas”
Stars: Marisol Nichols and Kristoffer Polaha
Becca and Robby are a married couple having a hard time connecting as the holidays approach. Just before Christmas, they head to a cozy Vermont inn at the advice of their marriage coach so they can recharge. Their weekend away gets unexpectedly extended when a mishap puts their car out of commission and just may put them on the road to a very happily married Christmas.
Sunday, October 23: “A Kismet Christmas”
Stars: Sarah Ramos, Carlo Marks, and Marilu Henner
Sarah is a children’s book author who returns to her hometown, where she reconnects with her family and Travis, her teenage crush. She soon discovers that a long-held family legend might actually be true.
Friday, October 28: “A Cozy Christmas Inn”
Stars: Jodie Sweetin and David O’Donnell
Real estate exec Erika travels to Alaska during Christmastime to acquire a bed and breakfast, only to discover that it’s owned by her ex. While there, she finds herself falling in love with the town and quite possibly him.
Saturday, October 29: “Jolly Good Christmas”
Stars: Reshma Shetty and Will Kemp
David is an American architect who recently moved to London for a prime opportunity in a prestigious firm. With just three days before Christmas, he crosses paths with Anji, a professional shopper, who raises an eyebrow over his choice of a gift card for his girlfriend. David ultimately decides to hire Anji and, thanks to a series of unexpected events, finds himself on a wild adventure across Jolly Old London as Anji helps him search for the perfect present.
Sunday, October 30: “Ghosts of Christmas Always”
Stars: Kim Matula, Ian Harding, Beth Leavel, Lori Tan Chinn, and Reginald VelJohnson
Katherine is a Ghost of Christmas Present and she must help one soul, Peter, rediscover his Christmas spirit. But this year has something unusual in store.
Friday, November 4, 2022: “A Magical Christmas Village”
Stars: Alison Sweeney, Luke Macfarlane, and Marlo Thomas
When Summer’s mother Vivian moves in with her and her daughter, Chloe, her orderly existence is upended. Upon arrival, Vivian sets up an heirloom miniature Christmas village resembling their town, and tells Chloe it grants Christmas wishes. As Chloe begins setting up the figurines, real-life events seem to mimic the scenes she creates. With a little help from the magic of the Christmas village, the family will be brought closer together and just maybe, Summer will learn to open her heart to love again.
Saturday, November 5, 2022: “Lights, Camera, Christmas!”
Stars: Kimberley Sustad and John Brotherton
When a holiday rom-com movie shooting in her town needs a costume designer, Kerry, a local shop owner, steps into the role. While working on the movie, she rediscovers her passion for costume design and finds herself falling for Brad, the film’s famous leading man.
Sunday, November 6, 2022: “All Saints Christmas”
Stars: Ledisi and Roger Cross
Lisette is a popular R&B singer who’s getting ready to travel home to New Orleans for Christmas. When the media mistake her music producer and ex for her fiancé, her family insists that he join her on the trip.
Friday, November 11, 2022: “In Merry Measure”
Stars: Patti Murin, Brendan Penny, and Jennifer Robertson
When pop star Darcy returns home to spend Christmas with her sister and niece, she unexpectedly finds herself coaching the high school choir with her one-time rival, Adam.
Saturday, November 12, 2022: “The Royal Nanny”
Stars: Rachel Skarsten, Dan Jeannotte, and Greta Scacchi
Claire (Rachel Skarsten) is an MI5 agent who goes undercover as a royal nanny. She must overcome the challenges of her assignment, like resisting the charms of Prince Colin, while keeping the family safe at Christmas.
Sunday, November 13, 2022: “Christmas at the Golden Dragon”
Stars: Kara Wang, Osric Chau, Sara Canning, Antonio Cupo, and Barbara Niven.
When Romy and Rick’s parents surprise them with the news that they will be closing the Chinese restaurant they have owned and operated for decades, the siblings each find themselves reevaluating their futures. Also impacted by the news are the landmark restaurant’s loyal patrons and staff, who have all come to depend on the restaurant during the holidays.
Friday, November 18, 2022: “Inventing the Christmas Prince”
Stars: Tamera Mowry-Housley and Ronnie Rowe Jr.
Shelby (Tamera Mowry-Housley) is about to quit her job as a rocket engineer when her daughter becomes convinced that her Scrooge-like boss, Evan (Ronnie Rowe Jr), is the Christmas Prince from a story Shelby invented years ago.
Saturday, November 19, 2022: “Three Wise Men and a Baby”
Stars: Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker, and Margaret Colin
Three brothers get a surprise when they are forced to work together to care for a baby over the holidays. As they slowly get the hang of things, they find themselves on unexpected journeys of self-discovery. They begin to rebuild their relationships and they rediscover their love of Christmas.
Sunday, November 20, 2022: “When I Think of Christmas”
Stars: Shenae Grimes-Beech, Niall Matter, and Beth Broderick
Sara Thompson returns to her hometown to help her mother move and is surprised to find her ex-boyfriend Josh Hartman is back home. The two had once planned a life in music together but Sara left to study law. The former flames slowly reconnect and try to heal wounds, both old and new. When Sara makes a surprising discovery, she and Josh forge a bold plan for the upcoming Christmas concert that will lead them all back to their musical roots and make this a holiday to remember.
Thursday, November 24, 2022: “My Southern Family Christmas”
Stars: Jaicy Elliot, Bruce Campbell, Ryan Rottman, Moira Kelly, and Brian McNamara
Posing as a journalist, Campbell (Jaicy Elliot) has a chance to get to know her biological father for the first time – without him ever knowing who she really is. As she spends time with him and his family, as well as with the town’s record keeper, she realizes that families are messy, wonderful things. In the end, Campbell must decide if she’s going to keep her identity a secret or reveal the truth to her father – a decision that will change their family Christmas forever.
Friday, November 25, 2022: “#Xmas”
Stars: Clare Bowen, Brant Daugherty
When Jen gets the chance to enter a brand’s design contest, she poses as a family influencer, enlisting the help of her best friend, Max, and her baby nephew. When her video is selected as a finalist, Jen is torn as to whether to keep pretending or reveal the truth.
Friday, November 25, 2022: “A Royal Corgi Christmas”
Stars: Hunter King, Jordan Renzo
Reluctant Crown Prince Edmond returns home just before Christmas in anticipation of being named successor to the throne. To ingratiate himself to his mother the Queen, he gives her “Mistletoe,” a rambunctious Corgi in need of some serious training. After several doggy disasters, Edmond turns to Cecily, a canine behavior expert from America for help. But to his great surprise, Cecily demands that he take an active part in the daily dog-training sessions. Sparks fly between them as the pair work together to get Mistletoe ready to present at the annual Christmas Ball. Just as the precious pup captures their hearts, they discover that love can grow in the most unexpected places, leading them to question what they really want.
Saturday, November 26, 2022: “A Tale of Two Christmases”
Stars: Kat Barrell, Chandler Massey, and Evan Roderick
Thanks to some Christmas magic, Emma gets to experience two different Christmases – one where she stays in the city and celebrates with a new crush and his friends, and one where she returns home for all the traditions with her family. Emma’s double holiday ultimately helps her discover what will truly make her happy in life.
Saturday, November 26, 2022: “Haul Out the Holly”
Stars: Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, Ellen Travolta, Peter Jacobson, Melissa Peterman, and Stephen Tobolowsky
Emily arrives home to visit her parents, only to discover that they are leaving on a trip of their own. As she stays at their house for the holidays, their HOA is determined to get Emily to participate in the neighborhood’s many Christmas festivities.
Sunday, November 27, 2022: “A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe”
Stars: Rachel Boston and Victor Webster
Annie Cooper has big shoes to fill when she takes over as CEO of her late grandmother’s small-town cookie company. She is doing her best to help their struggling business get back on track when her grandmother’s secret recipe is stolen during the Christmas party. As Annie tries to crack the case and uncover the culprit she works with Sam, the owner of a local bakery, to recreate the recipe in the hope of saving the company and her job. As Annie and Sam bake batch after batch in pursuit of the perfect recipe, they begin to learn that their lives go together like milk and cookies.
Sunday, November 27, 2022: “A Holiday Spectacular”
Stars: Ginna Claire Mason, Derek Klena, Eve Plumb, and Ann-Margret
In 1958, Maggie is an heiress from Philadelphia who puts her high-society wedding plans on hold in order to sneak up to New York City and make her secret dream come true: dancing live on stage in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
Friday, December 2, 2022: “A Big Fat Family Christmas”
Stars: Shannon Chan-Kent, Shannon Kook, Tia Carrere, and Jack Wagner
Liv is a photojournalist eager to make it on her own. To get a dream assignment – shooting the Chang family’s annual holiday party for a cover story – she doesn’t reveal that they are in fact, her family. When she finds herself growing close to Henry, the coworker covering the story with her, she wants to confide in him but doesn’t want to jeopardize her big break.
Saturday, December 3, 2022: “A Fabled Holiday”Stars: Brooke D’Orsay and Ryan Paevey
Talia and her childhood best friend Anderson unexpectedly reunite in a curiously familiar-looking town full of Christmas spirit that restores its visitors when they need it most.
Sunday, December 4, 2022: “Undercover Holiday”
Stars: Noemi Gonzalez and Stephen Huszar
When she returns home for the holidays, newly minted pop star Jaylen tells her protective family that Matt is her new beau, when in reality, he’s her overzealous security guard.
Friday, December 9, 2022: “The Most Colorful Time of the Year”
Stars: Katrina Bowden and Christopher Russell
Ryan is an elementary school teacher who learns that he is colorblind. Michelle, an optometrist and mother of one of his students, helps bring color into his life in time for Christmas.
Saturday, December 10, 2022: “Christmas Class Reunion”
Stars: Aimee Teegarden andTanner Novlan
At their 15-year reunion, former high-school classmates reconnect and challenge each other to remember who they were, who they are, and who they want to be.
Sunday, December 11, 2022: “The Holiday Sitter”
Stars: Jonathan Bennett, George Krissa, and Chelsea Hobbs
Sam is a workaholic bachelor who babysits his niece and nephew when his sister and her husband have to go out of town right before the holidays. Completely out of his element, he recruits help from their handsome neighbor Jason and finds himself in an unexpected romance.
Friday, December 16, 2022: “Holiday Heritage”
Stars: Lyndie Greenwood, Brooks Darnell, and Holly Robinson Peete
Ella returns to her hometown to mend fences with her fractured family. With the help of her ex-boyfriend, Griffin, she encourages her family to celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa and to heal their past wounds before it’s too late.
Saturday, December 17, 2022: “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”
Stars: Torrey DeVitto and Zane Holtz
A former actress trying to break into directing tests her skills with the town’s annual Christmas Eve courtroom production in which the true authorship of the famous poem “A Visit from St. Nick” is debated.
Sunday, December 18, 2022: “Hanukkah on Rye”
Stars: Jeremy Jordan, Yael Grobglas, and Lisa Loeb
A matchmaker connects Molly and Jacob, but their new romance is put to the test when they realize that they are competing deli owners. Will a Hanukkah miracle keep them together?
Up next, a complete listing of the movies included in the Miracles of Christmas lineup.
A Lacey Chabert clothing line has launched with HSN. The Lacey Chabert Collection features everything from dressy Mommy and Me looks to chic loungewear.
“Collaborating with HSN on this has been a dream come true,” Chabert said in an interview with E Online. “Clothing is such a way to express yourself, and I’m actually a longtime HSN shopper!”
Prices range from $30 for a French Terry pullover to $79 for a hooded jacket with a drawstring waist.
Lacey Chabert clothing line
In a post on Instagram, Chabert showed off one of the Mommy and Me looks with her 6-year-old daughter, Julia.
“Julia and I are wearing our matching dresses in Meadow Plaid,” she wrote. “The link in my bio takes you to HSN.com where you can shop for these looks! @hsn This dress comes in 4 colors. Sizes XS-3X. If you purchase one please tag me in your photos! I’d love to see.”
She also posted a video to celebrate the launch.
“This is a dream come true!! I’m so excited to announce my very first line of loungewear exclusive to @hsn,” she wrote.
Hallmark star
Chabert made her television debut in 1994 as 11-year-old Claudia Salinger in the Fox series Party of Five. She appeared in the movies Lost in Space, The Wild Thornberrys, and Mean Girls.
Her first film with Hallmark Channel was 2010’s Elevator Girl. Chabert played Liberty Taylor, an eccentric, free-spirited young woman who gets trapped in an elevator with an uptight lawyer. She went on to star in the Hallmark movies Matchmaker Santa (2012), A Royal Christmas (2014), A Family for Christmas (2015), and A Christmas Melody (2015).
She and Brennan Elliott co-starred in the All of My Heart movie series for Hallmark Channel, as well as the Crossword Mysteries for Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, which she also helped produce.
In February, Chabert announced she had signed a multi-year deal with Hallmark Media to write, produce, and star in several movies for the company. In a Forbes interview, she said she appreciates the network because it tells stories driven by women.
“It’s a very unique place in our business where it’s female-driven stories,” she said in a recent Forbes interview.
The Lacey Chabert Collection is available on the HSN website. Click here for a link.
Natalie Hall and Peter Mooney play neighbors skirting the rules in a no-pets-allowed apartment complex in the new Hallmark movie Fly Away With Me. The film will premiere as part of the network’s Fall Into Love lineup.
New Hallmark movie
In the movie, Hall plays Angie, an overworked aspiring writer who is thrilled when she lands a condo in a sought-after complex in her neighborhood. She has barely moved in when a parrot flies through her window. Knowing that it’s someone’s pet, Angie starts looking for the owner. But her building has a “no pets” policy, which means she has to keep the bird hidden.
When she goes to a local pet shop, she meets Ted (played by Mooney), who lives next door to her in her new building.
According to Hallmark, “Angie soon finds out Ted is hiding a pet of his own, his sister’s dog Zoe. What ensues is a comical back-and-forth as Angie attempts to hide the bird and Ted tries to hide Zoe. Angie and Ted make a pact to have each other’s back as they work together to duck and dodge their condo manager. Unfortunately, one day Angie’s hopes fly right out the window as the parrot escapes and lands on Gineen, who promptly evicts her. Believing Ted never really had her back Angie is left feeling heartbroken until she receives exciting and unexpected news.
About the cast
Natalie Hall had parts on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Good Wife before landing the role of Colby Chandler on All My Children. She appeared in Pretty Little Liars, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and the CW reboot of the series Charmed. She starred in the Hallmark rom-coms You’re Bacon Me Crazy and Road Trip Romance.
Peter Mooney is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. He got his start on the TV series 2030 CE. He appeared on Heartland, CSI: Miami, Camelot, Rookie Blue, Wynnona Earp, and Burden of Truth. He is married to Sarah Power, who starred in the Hallmark series Good Witch.
Fly Away With Me will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 24 at 8/7c.
Candace Cameron Bure announced that her first project for Great American Family, a network started by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott, is a Christmas movie that will be released in November.
“SO HAPPY to announce that Candy Rock Entertainment is underway with their first Christmas movie of the season starring…me,” she wrote in an Instagram post promoting the movie.
The film is titled “A Christmas…Present.” According to a synopsis from the network, Bure plays real estate agent Maggie Larson, “an overly scheduled real estate agent and Type-A mom who takes her family to spend Christmas with her widowed brother and his daughter.”
Though Maggie and her brother have different expectations for the holiday, Maggie learns to slow down and appreciate Christmas.
“A Christmas … Present is about slowing down enough to recognize what’s right in front of our eyes,” Bure said in a statement to People. “The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season will arrive before we know it but it’s through the quiet moments that we hear God speak to us, directing our path to what’s most important.”
Candace Cameron Bure production company
The movie is the first to be produced by Bure’s Candy Rock Entertainment. In April, the actress announced a partnership between Candy Rock and Great American Media to create content for its two networks, Great American Family and Great American Living.
“I am thrilled to be kicking off our partnership with a must-see film like A Christmas…Present, which will delight our fans this holiday season and is indicative of the memorable movies and family-friendly entertainment that Great American Media is looking forward to creating with Candace and the Candy Rock team,” said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Great American Media.
New partnership
Bure shocked fans when she announced she would be leaving Hallmark Media to work with Great American Family.
“I’m very excited to develop heartwarming family and faith-filled programming and make the kind of stories my family and I love to watch,” Bure said in a statement through the network.
The actress starred in more than 40 movies for Hallmark, including the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries.
The new Hallmark movie Wedding of a Lifetime will premiere as part of the Fall Into Love lineup. Jonathan Bennett and Brooke D’Orsay star in the film, playing an engaged couple whose friends sign them up for a reality TV competition.
Bennett, who starred in Hallmark’s The Christmas House and The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls, shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes video on Instagram as a preview.
After shooting this scene, our executive Liz from @hallmarkchannel called me and asked, ‘Is that the most fun you’ve ever had on a set?’ To which I responded, ‘Yes, it was!’ I also destroyed @brookedorsay no matter what she tries to tell you.”
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New Hallmark movie
In Wedding of a Lifetime, Bennett and D’Orsay star as Jake and Darby, an engaged couple who have been together since high school. When they find themselves in a rut and not in love anymore, they decide it might be time to give their relationship a break. But when they try to explain the situation to their families, they find out the town has entered them in a TV competition for an all-expenses-paid “Wedding of a Lifetime.”
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, “Neither of them wants to disappoint their family and friends, and being on the show could potentially give both their careers a boost. Will the charade end with Darby and Jake coming clean and going their separate ways, or will the competition rekindle their romance?”
In a recent interview, Bennett talked about the fun he had as an executive producer on the film.
“Getting to see my crazy ideas come to life on the screen, and actually come to fruition was so rewarding. I love executive producing now, it gives me the chance to let my crazy ideas come to the screen,” he said.
Bennett added, “I hope this movie helps the fans ignite a spark in their relationships whether they be new or old.”
About the stars
Jonathan Bennett starred in the 2004 hit Mean Girls as Aaron Samuels. He also played Adam “J.R.” Chandler on All My Children and had roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Smallville, Veronica Mars, and Awkward.
He starred in Hallmark’s The Christmas House, The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls, and Christmas Made to Order.
Brooke D’Orsay is a native of Canada. In addition to roles on the TV shows Two And A Half Men and Royal Pains, she appeared in Drop Dead Diva and the Nickelodeon original movie The Boy Who Cried Werewolf. She has appeared in many Hallmark movies, including Beverly Hills Wedding (2021), A Dickens of a Holiday! (2021), A Godwink Christmas: Second Chance, First Love (2020), Nostalgic Christmas (2019), Christmas in Love (2018), and Miss Christmas (2017).
Wedding of a Lifetime will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 17 at 8/7c.
Filming has begun on Season 10 of When Calls the Heart, and cast members appear to be having a great time on set. Erin Krakow, Andrea Brooks, Ava Grace Cooper, and Chris McNally have been posting pics and videos on Instagram of all the fun they’re having behind the scenes.
In a 17-second clip Jack Wagner shared, he and Erin Krakow pretend to be lost in the woods. “Whaaa? wheeer? whooo? What’s happening??” he wrote in the caption. “Lost not to be found?”
In the video, he says, “Any clue why Bill and Elizabeth would be trudging through the wilderness? You’ll have to wait for the premiere of Season 10 of When Calls the Heart.”
Cast members Andrea Brooks and Pascale Hutton responded in the comments.
“Remind me NEVER to go into the woods with either of you!!! 😂” Hutton wrote.
“Blair Witch vibes!” added Andrea Brooks.
Season 10 of When Calls the Heart
Filming began in July on the new season and production is expected to wrap up in November. The show is filmed on MacInnes Farms in Langley, British Columbia, which is located near Vancouver in western Canada. (The farm has a great Facebook page, which can be found here.)
Ava Grace Cooper, who plays Opal Weiss on the series, shared a photo of herself in costume standing in front of her trailer.
“#wcth #opal #set #filming,” she wrote in the caption.
Ben Rosenbaum, who plays Mike Hickam on the show, had fun altering photos of himself and Chris McNally to show what they would look like on Season 40.
“@hallmarkchannel give us 30 more years and let’s see how accurate this turns out to be,” he wrote.
McNally shared his photo with the caption, “@ben_rosenbaum fixed me up for WCTH season 40.”
When Calls the Heart
When Calls the Heart premiered on Hallmark Channel in 2014. Based on a series of books by Canadian author Janette Oke, the show followed a wealthy woman, Elizabeth Thatcher (played by Erin Krakow), who moved to a small Canadian mining town to work as a teacher. She fell in love with and eventually married a mountie — short for Royal Canadian Mounted Police —named Jack Thornton (played by Daniel Lissing).
The series has had its share of controversy. At the end of Season 5, Jack Thornton was killed shortly after his wedding to Elizabeth. In Season 6, two men were brought in to replace him, and they vied for Elizabeth’s hand until she chose between them in the Season 8 finale.
Many fans were upset when Elizabeth chose businessman Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) over Mountie Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry). Some vowed never to watch the show again.
In August, Hallmark Media Exec VP President of Programming Lisa Hamilton Daly told reporters at a press event that Season 10 of When Calls the Heart would premiere in the middle of 2023.
Sara and Kevin have good news on Chesapeake Shores. In the episode “That’s All There is to That” Sara (Jessica Sipos) surprised Kevin (Brendan Penny) with the announcement.
“…Sometimes there isn’t the ‘right time’ to share certain news, you know?” she said. …“I’m determined not to be terrified or stressed by the ‘what-ifs.”
Sara and Kevin have good news
Sara and Kevin have faced a long road when it comes to fertility. In Season 5, Sara found out that she had endometriosis and might not be able to get pregnant.
“I haven’t even worked up the nerve to tell Kevin yet,” she confided in Jess.
Jess replied, “One way or another you will find a way to fill your arms with babies.”
After Sara told Kevin, they went to another doctor for a second opinion. This time, the doctor told the couple they could still have children. She said to try for another six months and then if they had no luck, they could look at other options.
Soon after, Sara fell off a ladder. At the hospital, she found out she was pregnant. Kevin and Sara were overjoyed to find out they were expecting. But their happiness turned to grief when she suffered a miscarriage soon after.
Hard times
Both Kevin and Sara were devastated. Sara told Kevin she didn’t want anyone to find out, but he ended up telling his parents. Sara was furious until Meg told her she had her own miscarriage.
This time when Sara shared the news about her pregnancy, she said she was going to try not to worry about what was to come.
“We have to promise each other that we’ll just move forward, be positive and just hope for the best,” she said. “I’m determined not to be terrified or stressed by the what-ifs.”
Chesapeake Shores airs on Hallmark Channel on Sundays at 8/7c.
Brennan Elliott and Amanda Schull play former high-school sweethearts in the new Hallmark movie Marry Go Round.
“Come join @amandaschull and yours truly for a romantic merry go round ride to your hearts #september10 @hallmarkchannel,” Brennan Elliott wrote in an Instagram post. “It’s right around the corner folks and excited to be able to spend some time with you all again. C u all soon. I’m filming but off on that Saturday so I’ll be #livetweeting with all of you for both east and west coast premieres. Let’s have some fun!”
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New Hallmark movie
In the movie, Amanda Schull plays Abby, a successful executive who is getting ready to move to Paris with her fiancé (played by Zak Santiago). Everything is going well until she finds out that she is still married. It seems the divorce from her short-lived first marriage was never finalized.
Abby returns to her hometown to sign the papers, only to find out that her ex, Luke (played by Brennan Elliott), isn’t about to finalize the divorce. While she tries to change his mind, her mother tells Abby about something that happened years before that may change the way she looks at Luke and their relationship. Abby has to decide if she wants to move on with her life or give her marriage with Luke another shot.
About the stars
Amanda Schull made her Hollywood debut in the film Center Stage (2000). Born in Hawaii, she trained as a ballet dancer and attended Indiana University on a dance scholarship. She became an apprentice with San Francisco Ballet in 1999, eventually joining the corps de ballet.
In addition to appearing on One Tree Hill and Pretty Little Liars, she had a role in the Syfy television series 12 Monkeys. In 2013, she was cast in the USA Network series Suits as Katrina Bennett Schull has starred in the Hallmark movies Love, Once and Always; Project Christmas Wish; and One Summer.
Brennan Elliott was born in Canada and graduated from the prestigious Actors Studio at the Juilliard School in New York. In addition to starring in the TV shows Madison, Viper, The Outer Limits, Welcome to Paradox, First Wave, The Net, and Poltergeist: The Legacy, he has also had roles on Monk, House M.D., and Criminal Minds.
From 2013 to 2015 he played Warren Saget on the Hallmark series Cedar Cove. He played Marco Salvare in the Flower Shop Mysteries and co-starred with Lacey Chabert in the All Of My Heart series.
Last year, Elliott announced that his wife, Cami, was undergoing chemotherapy to treat gastric cancer. In an Instagram post, he shared a photo of his wife with the caption, “There is no one I consider braver, stronger, more Fearless even when you’re Faced with a sinister opponent who never plays fair. Even after countless surgeries and chemotherapy rounds, She forges ahead into spring taking on one of the most aggressive types of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. As you all know me to be a very private person, this feels scary and exposing but If there is any hope that her story can help Even one person, then her cancer Experience Was Not Done in vain. Please keep @Camilla_row in your prayers.”
Marry Go Round will premiere on Hallmark Channel Saturday, September 10 at 8/7c.
Two Netflix Christmas movies — one starring Lindsay Lohan, another starring Freddie Prinze Jr. — are scheduled for release in November. The streaming platform has been releasing Christmas rom-coms (similar to the ones on Hallmark) for several years now.
Netflix Christmas movies
Netflix announced it was working on a Christmas film with Lohan over the summer. In a tweet released by the streaming platform, it revealed that Lohan will star in Falling For Christmas, playing a spoiled hotel heiress who has an accident while skiing and develops amnesia. She ends up in the care of a handsome ski lodge owner (played by Chord Overstreet) and his precocious daughter.
The movie will be directed by Janeen Damian, who directed the Hallmark Channel film The Christmas Waltz.
Falling For Christmas is one of two romantic comedies Lohan will make with Netflix. The other, Irish Wish, will be released in 2023.
“We’re so happy with our collaboration with Lindsay to date, and we’re thrilled to continue our partnership with her. We look forward to bringing more of her films to our members around the world,” said Christina Rogers, Netflix’s director of Independent Film.
Christmas With You
Another movie coming to Netflix in November is Christmas With You, starring Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr. Garcia plays a burned-out pop star who goes to a small town to grant a young fan’s wish. She finds the inspiration she needs to revitalize her career and also gets a shot at true love.
Netflix has been making Christmas movies for several years now. In 2020, the company made headlines when it released Dolly Parton’s Christmas On the Square and Holidate, starring Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, and Kristin Chenoweth
Other Netflix holiday titles include Operation Christmas Drop (2020), starring Kat Graham, Alexander Ludwig, and Virginia Madsen; California Christmas (2020); Castle for Christmas (2021); Love Hard (2021); and The Princess Switch (2018).
The company is one of many getting into the Christmas movie game. In December 2021, CBS released the original movies “Christmas Takes Flight” and “A Christmas Proposal.” This year, the network is making three holiday movies: Must Love Christmas, Fit For Christmas, and When Christmas Was Young.
Earlier this year, Discovery+ announced it would release four holiday movies for streaming in November. The films will feature HGTV stars Ben and Erin Napier and Hilary Farr, as well as Food Network stars Bobby Flay and Duff Goldman.
The new Hallmark movie Marry Me in Yosemite will premiere as part of the network’s Fall Into Love programming event. The romantic comedy stars Cindy Busby, Lexy McKowen, and Tyler Harlow.
In the movie, Busby plays a photographer who needs help navigating the wilderness while on assignment in Yosemite National Park. Harlow plays an off-the-grid nature guide who agrees to help her out.
“To shoot in a place like Yosemite was awe-inspiring,” Harlow said in a recent interview. “It’s one of the wonders of the world, it really is. You really feel a spiritual sense there, it really has that gravity of power to it. To wake up every day and know that I was filming a movie at Yosemite was awesome.”
Both actors shared a brief video on Instagram showing a few behind-the-scenes moments.
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“This is what @sweet_t_6 had to deal with while working with me on #marrymeinyosemite,” Busby wrote in the caption. “We had a BLAST and I know you’re all gonna absolutely love this movie and especially love this hilariously talented human!”
New Hallmark movie
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, Busby stars as Zoe, a photographer known for her “Zoe’s Best” series of books that showcase pictures of famous cities. But when her publisher suggests she make one about Yosemite National Park, Zoe finds herself out of her depth.
When she arrives, she is awed by the park’s beauty but is having trouble navigating her way around. A park guide suggests she work with Jack (played by Harlow) a conservationist and former rock climber who likes to stay off the grid. They work together and begin to develop romantic feelings for each other. Zoe explains that she wants to take the kind of photo that shows she is a true artist. But will her desire for perfection could cost her more than she is willing to give up?
About the stars
Cindy Busby is a Hallmark fan favorite, having appeared in two different series for the network: Cedar Cove (as Rebecca Jennings) and When Calls the Heart (as Marlise Bennett). She has also starred in the Hallmark movies A Godwink Christmas: Meant For Love, Heart of Down Under, Wedding March 5: My Boyfriend’s Back, Chasing Waterfalls, and Romance in the Air. She also starred in Joy for Christmas, which premiered on Great American Family (the new network started by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott) in December 2021.
Outdoor enthusiast Tyler Harlow was a trained firefighter and EMT before landing a role in Water by the Spoonful. He is a professional model and has appeared in the movie Secret Diary of a Cheerleader.
Marry Me in Yosemite premieres on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, September 3 at 8/7c.
Will Diane Ladd be back for the final season of Chesapeake Shores? Chessies have been asking after her since the show’s premiere.
“Where is Nell??” one fan wrote on Facebook. “It’s not the same without her.”
The sixth and final season of the popular Hallmark series Chesapeake Shores premiered on August 14. While fans were thrilled to see the O’Briens again, many have chimed in on social media that they miss the family’s matriarch.
“Everything she says is profound,” another fan wrote. “She is an amazing woman.”
Will Diane Ladd be back?
Hallmark has not said whether Ladd will return this season. On the show, her character is making a trip to Ireland. Fans say they have missed her presence, as well as the bits of wisdom she regularly dispatches, which fans call “Nell’s Nuggets.”
“You should always like who you love, but you don’t always have to love who you like,” is one. “The love you share around the table is often more important than the meal you have on top of it,” is another.
Ladd, who will turn 87 in September, has portrayed Nell since the show premiered on Hallmark Channel in 2016. In an interview to promote the series, she called Nell O’Brien “a lady of wisdom.”
“And some morality,” she added. “…She’s gentle. She’s a harmonizer. She loves family. And that’s kind of nice and she brings the family together. So her modus operandi is love.”
About Diane Ladd
Ladd has won more than 35 awards for acting in her lifetime, including a British Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, an Independent Spirit Film Award, and the Cannes’ Palme d’Or Award. She has also been nominated for three Academy Awards. She has been nominated for three Emmy Awards and three Academy Awards for the films Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Wild at Heart, and Rambling Rose.
She has also written the books “Spiraling Through the School of Life – A Mental Physical and Spiritual Discovery,” and “Find Your Miracles.”
A native of Mississippi, Ladd attended finishing school in New Orleans, where she also launched her acting career. She is a distant cousin of Tennessee Williams.
In a 2013 interview, she lamented the quality of television being made following the cancelation of her series Enlightened.
“I can’t tell you how many people when I’m doing my book signings come up to me and say, ‘Why, why, why did they take that series off? It was the best series,’” she said. “You know how bad TV is today. It would be nice if we could get some more great shows on it. And it’d be nice if we can get some great shows where nobody’s being killed, tortured, or murdered.”
Fans of the canceled Hallmark series Good Witch are angry after a network exec mentioned the series in a recent interview but then failed to respond to questions about whether the series was coming back.
During an appearance at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Lisa Hamilton-Daly, executive vice president of programming at Hallmark Media, told reporters the network was considering what to do with several of its franchises.
“As far as Good Witch, I think we’re always interested in thinking about what we can do with our most popular IP,” Hamilton-Daly said. “I can’t announce anything specific about that. And that also holds for Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”
The comment set off a wave of speculation on social media about whether Good Witch was being brought back. The show was canceled in July 2021. Since then, fans have been petitioning to get the show back on the air. In addition to asking Hallmark to revive the series, members of the Save Good Witch campaign have directed inquiries to Netflix and Great American Family, a new network started by Hallmark’s former CEO Bill Abbott.
Good Witch publicity
Following Hamilton-Daly’s comments, fans began contacting Hallmark to see if the show was coming back. But Goodies say they were met with form responses, silence, or even blocking of their emails.
Now fans are convinced that Hallmark mentioned the show just for publicity.
“Tired of you hinting around. Make the proper decisions for #Goodies, cast & crew,” one fan wrote on Facebook
“You cancelled #GOODWITCH because it ‘reached a natural conclusion’ but now you are ‘thinking about what we can do with it’… WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING?!” wrote another.
About the show
Good Witch ran from 2015 to 2021 on Hallmark Channel. The show was a spinoff of a series of movies the network made starring actress Catherine Bell. In the first of the movies, a mysterious woman moves to a small town named Middleton and takes up residence in an allegedly haunted house. Though the locals are wary of her at first, her kindness and charm win them over.
For many fans, it was the spiritual message behind the story lines that inspired them. On some social media posts, fans shared their favorite quotes from the series, including, “Taking a step in a new direction doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to be a step,” and, “If you spend too much time thinking about what’s bad, you may lose what’s good.”
Actress and mental health advocate Chyler Leigh has joined the cast of the new Hallmark series The Way Home. She joins Andie MacDowell, who starred in Hallmark’s Cedar Cove, and Sadie Laflamme-Snow in the cast.
“Took time off to work hard on myself,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “It’s not been easy. Letting go of the past can be quick or a lifelong journey. But it’s a journey that is so so worth the climb. My thanks to those who have helped me along the way. I’m standing on a new mountain top and am so excited for what’s on the horizon. @hallmarkchannel #TheWayHome #KatLandry … here we go.”
New series
Leigh, who played Dr. Lexie Grey on the series Grey’s Anatomy, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 29 after voluntarily checking herself into a hospital.
“I was so terrified because of my past,” she said in an interview with Prevention. “I was so worried about turning into all of the things I hated when I was growing up, but it was life or death. I was going to make a change, or I wouldn’t be here anymore.”
About 7 million Americans live with bipolar disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. A person going through a manic episode may feel elated, energized, and reckless, while a depressive episode can result in total loss of energy, trouble concentrating, and feelings of hopelessness.
Leigh said she first noticed the signs as an adolescent when the sound of clinking dishes filled her with rage. She also experienced recklessness, mood swings, and trouble sleeping. She said she suppressed her feelings for years.
“I closed off and developed a shell around me,” she said.
The actress threw herself into her work and into the responsibility of raising three children. Eventually, she became overwhelmed.
“I was constantly hiding layers of myself, trying to come off as pretty and palatable,” she says. “I wanted to pass off as ‘I’m doing fine,’ but when I went to the hospital it was very clear that I was not.”
Leigh has been an outspoken advocate for people affected by mental illness. She has also kept busy as an actress, starring in TV shows such as Supergirl and The Flash.
The Way Home
Filming has already begun on The Way Home. In the series, Leigh plays Kat Landry, who has been estranged from her mother (played by MacDowell) for so long that she’s never even introduced her to her daughter, Alice (played by Sadie Laflamme-Snow). According to a synopsis from Hallmark, the three women are thrown together by unforeseen circumstances and “embark on an enlightening journey to find their way back to each other and learn important lessons about their family’s past.”
The series will premiere in 2023.
Fans anticipating the Season 10 premiere of the beloved Hallmark series When Calls the Heart have been left hanging after a network executive said the show will air sometime in the middle of 2023.
Lisa Hamilton-Daly, Hallmark Media’s executive vice president of programming, didn’t give a specific date for the premiere. But fans have become accustomed to seeing the first episodes in February. Last year, Hallmark saw pushback when the show didn’t premiere until March 6.
Season 10 of When Calls the Heart
Filming began in July on the new season and production is expected to wrap up in November. The show is filmed on MacInnes Farms in Langley, British Columbia, which is located near Vancouver in western Canada. (The farm has a great Facebook page, which can be found here.)
The stars of the show have been posting photos and videos from the set.
Erin Krakow (who plays Elizabeth Thornton on the series) shared a beautiful video of the set on her Instagram page with the message, “Season 10. So grateful for this show and this place. Hoping for 100 more eps.”
Ava Cooper, who plays Opal Weise, shared a photo of one of the horses from the show.
“Back on set! The horses are always so sweet!!” she wrote in the caption.
Andrea Brooks (Dr. Faith Carter) posted a photo on Instagram with the caption, “Looking *forward* to all the stories we get to tell in SEASON 🔟 of @wcth_tv! Thank you @hallmarkchannel, the entire team, and to all the #hearties for tuning in for the past… decade(‼️). Can’t wait to get back to Hope Valley. Let’s do this!.”
Viv Leacock (who plays Joseph Canfield) posted a photo with his co-star Natasha Burnett (Minnie Canfield), with a caption that read, “SEASON 10 y’all!! Joseph and Minnie are ready to help @wcth_tv and @hallmarkchannel celebrate #100episodes feed your souls!! #Hearties we are looking forward to seeing y’all in person!! Who’s up for it??!!”
New showrunner
Hallmark execs also shared that Lindsay Sturman would replace John Tinker as showrunner for Season 10.
“We are also excited to welcome to the family our new showrunner, Lindsay Sturman, who brings her immense talent to the show,” said Laurie Ferneau, senior vice president of development at Hallmark Media told ET Online.
Sturman has written for the TV series Supergirl, Nightflyers, Teen Wolf, and Battle Creek.
The new Hallmark movie Dating the Delaneys will premiere as part of the network’s Fall Into Love lineup. Rachel Boston and Paul Campbell will headline the romantic comedy, which also stars Karen Kruper and Zoe Christie.
Boston has been sharing behind-the-scenes photos of herself on set with her infant daughter, Grace, on Instagram.
“This smile!!! My favorite person came to see me at work,” she wrote in the caption. “Being a new mom while playing a mom is an incredible feeling. Thank you to our producers and crew and the entire team @hallmarkchannel for supporting women and working mothers and to @paulcampbellofficial for all the dad jokes. More behind the scenes photos soon. #DatingTheDelaneys #August20 @hallmarkchannel.”
Hallmark responded to the post with, “Love seeing these smiles on the two of you.”
New Hallmark movie
According to a synopsis from Hallmark, Dating the Delaneys is a comic take on dating in today’s world. Boston plays Maggie Delaney, a divorced mother of a teenage daughter (played by Christie). When her mother (Kruper) encourages Maggie to begin dating again, she confides in her male friend Michael (Campbell), who is also a single parent.
As Maggie embarks on her quest for romance, she finds herself sharing all the details — good and bad — with Michael. As the possibility of romance looms between the two of them, both Maggie’s mother and her teenage daughter go on dates of their own.
“As these three generations of women explore the highs and lows of modern dating, they learn that love and romance can be found at any age…and sometimes where you least expect it,” reads a description from Hallmark.
About the stars
Rachel Boston is a Hallmark regular. She has starred in the movies A Christmas Carousel, Check Inn to Christmas, The Last Bridesmaid, Christmas in Angel Falls, A Rose For Christmas, A Gift of Miracles, and A Ring By Spring. She recently finished filming the independent movie The Engagement Plot with Trevor Donovan.
A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Boston has appeared on the TV shows Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seventh Heaven, Castle, Witches of East End, and The Good Doctor.
Canadian actor Paul Campbell is known for his roles in Battlestar Galactica, Scrubs, Days of Our Lives, and How I Met Your Mother. His Hallmark titles include The Santa Stakeout, Christmas By Starlight, Love, Classified, and the Nine Kittens of Christmas.
Dating the Delaneys will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, August 20 at 8/7c.
The moment Chessies have been waiting for is right around the corner! After a drama-filled Season 5 finale, fans have been desperate to find out what is going on with the O’Brien family. Here is everything we know so far about Season 6:
1. Connor is Alive (Woo hoo!)
Perhaps the most shocking moment of the Season 5 finale was when Connor O’Brien (Andrew Francis) collapsed in the driveway of the O’Brien house while talking with his paralegal Margaret. He had been battling stress and a bad heart all season, following a legal battle with his former employer.
But previews for Season 6 show the handsome guy tucked up in a hospital bed with his family around him. Don’t know if he’s going to have any more cardiac episodes, but for now, he is safe.
2. There’s a new Margaret in town
In Season 5, Connor met a gorgeous, brilliant paralegal at his new firm. When he decided to set up his own practice, she helped. They also shared a lot of lingering glances and one very sweet kiss.
While Margaret is back, this season she is played by actress Mariesa Crouse.
Treat Williams and Barbara Niven introduced her in a video they posted to Instagram. The three went hiking on a day off from filming, and then found an amazing donut shop that they raved about:
3. Abby picked Evan….maybe?
At the end of Season 5, Abby told her sister she had finally decided between the two men who were interested in dating her. In true cliffhanger style, she didn’t reveal to the audience whether she chose mild-mannered schoolteacher Jay or zany billionaire man-child Evan.
Fast forward to two weeks ago, when Hallmark released a clip that shows a luxurious yacht anchored in the water in front of the O’Brien house. Evan appears in a tux and Abby comes down to meet him in….sweats.
“I don’t think I’m dressed for this date,” Abby says.
“You have never looked lovelier,” he replies.
(Swoon.)
The next thing you know, she is in a green ball gown and the two are dancing aboard the boat. Case closed. Or is it?
We all know how much Hallmark likes to keep us guessing. Could this scene just be a dream sequence? Will we find out that it was just something Abby imagined while she and Jay were waiting for a table to open up at Golden Corral?
4. Luke and Bree are together. Probably
Another preview shows Bree (Emilie Ullerup) and her high-school friend Luke (Stephen Huszar) walking hand-in-hand. Luke returned to Chesapeake Shores last season and began working at The Bridge. He finally admitted to Bree that he had been in prison and that he was still on parole. If Bree had any misgivings, she appears to have gone over them. The two looked quite cozy in the Season 6 previews.
5. Mick and Meg are back on
Season 5 was a strange one for Mic (Treat Williams) and Meg (Barbara Niven). The couple, who divorced when their children were little, grew steadily closer until they announced they were getting back together as a couple. But when Meg had a chance to work at a prestigious gallery in California, Mick became angry. He also appeared to be abusing the pain meds he was prescribed following an accident with his plane.
But in the clips Hallmark has released, the two appear to be back on track, and there are no signs of Mick needing rehab. Yay.
6. David’s dad is on the run
In Season 5, Jess (Laci Mailey) and David (Carlo Marks) were shocked to find out his father had stolen money from his trust fund. It turns out his father had been accused of some illegal dealings and has fled the country.
In a Season 6 preview, David receives a phone call from his dad. Will this turn out to be a misunderstanding or is Dennis Peck looking at extradition and hard time?
7. Kevin and Sarah are hanging in there
In Season 5, Sarah (Jessica Sipos) had a miscarriage. She was so devastated she asked Kevin (Brendan Penny) not to tell anyone, but he ended up confessing to his parents. Sarah was furious until Meg came to visit and told her that she too had a miscarriage. That moment of understanding served to heal some of the bad feelings between Kevin and Sarah, but it will be interesting to see where are now. Could there be a Baby O’Brien by the end of the season?
Season 6 of Chesapeake Shores will premiere on Hallmark Channel on Sunday, August 14 at 8/7c.
A top Hallmark executive made a cryptic comment at a recent industry event hinting at the return of Hallmark’s Good Witch and Signed, Sealed, Delivered movie series. During an appearance at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Lisa Hamilton-Daly, executive vice president of programming at Crown Media Family Networks, told reporters the network was considering what to do with several of its franchises.
“As far as Good Witch, I think we’re always interested in thinking about what we can do with our most popular IP,” Hamilton-Daly said. “I can’t announce anything specific about that. And that also holds for Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”
Return of Good Witch?
Fans were shocked by the comment. In July 2021, Hallmark announced it was canceling the beloved TV series Good Witch with only three episodes left in Season 7.
“Good Witch has enchanted viewers for over a decade,” said Randy Pope, Hallmark’s senior vice president of programming and development, in a statement from the network. “We…extend our gratitude and thanks to the entire cast and crew for their dedication and hard work.”
Since then, fans have worked tirelessly to get the show back on the air. In addition to launching campaigns on social media, they have approached Netflix and even a new network started by former Crown Media CEO Bill Abbott, asking for someone to pick up where Hallmark left off.
Hamilton-Daly’s comment sent off a wave of speculation among Goodies about whether the network was hinting at bringing the series back.
“Yes. PLEASE,” wrote one fan on the Facebook page Save Good Witch.
“There’s an established audience base and built-in anticipation so what are you waiting for?” another wrote.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Hamilton-Daly’s words also set off speculation among POstables (fans of Signed, Sealed, Delivered) that another movie might be in the works. The latest in the 12-movie franchise, Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Vows We Have Made aired in October 2021.
Created by Touched By An Angel’s Martha Williamson, the movies followed the work of four employees in the postal service’s Lost Letters Department. The films star Eric Mabius, Kristin Booth, Crystal Lowe, and Geoff Gustafson.
The body-positive Hallmark movie Romance in Style will premiere as part of the network’s summer lineup. The romantic comedy stars Jaicy Elliot of Grey’s Anatomy, Ben Hollingsworth of Virgin River, and model/designer Candice Huffine.
Elliot plays Ella, an aspiring plus-size designer who works as a freelance seamstress for a fashion magazine. Hollingsworth plays Derek, the son of the magazine’s publisher. In a bid to assume a larger role in the family’s publishing empire, Derek becomes determined to learn everything he can about the fashion industry. Ella agrees to teach him what she knows.
“Ella and Derek come from two different worlds but are somehow drawn to one another,” reads a synopsis from Hallmark. “Can they work past their differences to overcome unexpected work obstacles and expectations of what makes a conventional couple, proving love can be found where you least expect it?”
Body-positive Hallmark movie
“We are very excited to bring our viewers this movie that celebrates self-love and self-acceptance,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, executive vice president of Crown Media Family Networks in a statement. “We are committed to a more diverse and inclusive slate of projects, so we are happy to share a story showing that love comes in all shapes and sizes.”
“I am so thrilled to be part of this new conversation we are currently having about self-acceptance and the positive spreading of that message,” Elliot said in a statement released by the network.
“Hallmark is opening an important dialogue about female empowerment and breaking through the oh-so-thick ceiling of social misconceptions we have collectively built. Long gone is the time when it was acceptable to judge people solely on their appearance. I think it’s high time we all move on from these superficial criteria and build a healthier, more connected world in which we strive to be better at being kind and tolerant.”
The actress posted a photo on Instagram promoting the movie.