Bold headline: Lori Loughlin is back in the Hallmark world, returning for When Calls the Heart Season 14 after a years-long hiatus sparked by a major college admissions scandal.
Lori Loughlin, a core member of the original cast, will reprise her role as Abigail Stanton and is set to appear in six of the twelve episodes planned for the upcoming season. Hallmark Channel confirmed the return on Tuesday, marking a notable revival of her character within the series.
Season 14 is slated to shoot next year in the Vancouver area, with a planned premiere in 2027. The show will continue to follow the lives of its ensemble, including Erin Krakow, Kevin McGarry, Jack Wagner, Chris McNally, Pascale Hutton, and Kavan Smith, as the story expands the frontier town of Hope Valley.
At the heart of the drama is Elizabeth Thornton, a schoolteacher portrayed by Krakow, who leaves her urban comfort to build a life in Hope Valley and gradually finds a new sense of home among the town’s residents.
Hallmark Media’s programming chief, Michelle Vicary, remarked that Abigail Stanton has long been a fan-favorite since the series began in 2014, and bringing Loughlin back to continue that character’s journey will resonate with longtime Hearties.
Background note: Loughlin’s return follows a complex period in which Hallmark Channel cut ties with her in 2019 after she and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, faced legal consequences related to a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. Loughlin served a two-month prison sentence as part of her conviction for participating in the scheme to secure college admissions for their daughters.
When Calls the Heart is produced by All Canadian Entertainment, in collaboration with Brad Krevoy Television and Believe Pictures.
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Subscribe
