GAC Family is thankfully bringing Lori Loughlin back to television

Lori Loughlin portrayed beloved character, Abigail Stanton, on When Calls the Heart for almost six seasons until she was terminated by Hallmark Channel in 2019. There was never an indication that she would be invited back. And in a recent statement, the channel, in a statement shared by Showbiz Cheat Sheet, confirmed what many fans were afraid of—it had no intention of asking her to return.

"Hallmark Channel has not cast Lori Loughlin in any current projects, including When Calls the Heart, nor do we have any plans to cast her in the future. She was cast by GAC Family, a wholly separate cable network not affiliated with Hallmark Channel or Crown Media Family Networks."

This is a decision that has caused ripples among the fans of When Calls the Heart as many saw (and still see) Lori Loughlin as a big part of the reason why the series became so popular. Many are wondering why Hallmark has drawn a line in the sand, refusing to even consider hiring Loughlin again.

Hallmark Channel's Loss is GAC Family's Gain

While those questions remained unanswered, GAC Family is bringing Loughlin’s character back to television where she will appear on When Hope Calls, the spin-off series from When Calls the Heart. Loughlin will appear along with Daniel Lissing, another When Call the Heart alum. Lissing portrayed Constable Jack Thornton, the husband of schoolteacher Elizabeth Thornton (played by Erin Krakow), and his character was killed at the end of season five as he had chosen to leave the series. (There’s no word on how When Hope Calls will bring Lissing’s character back, but most fans are assuming it will either be Abigail having a dream.) Lissing is also starring in a GAC Family Christmas movie, A Christmas Star, with Sara Canning.

Carter Ryan Evancic will also join Lori Loughlin

When Loughlin was terminated from Hallmark, so was Carter Ryan Evancic, who played Abigail Stanton's adopted son, Cody Stanton, for almost three seasons. Evancic will join Loughlin on When Hope Calls for the Christmas movie, giving the young actor another chance at the role he is most known for.

Abigail Stanton showing up in Brookfield is going to seem strange, especially when she won’t be paying a visit to her friends in Hope Valley that she has known a lot longer than the characters on When Hope Calls. But her character still will be welcomed back by fans, along with Cody, when they bring a troubled boy to Lillian’s orphanage.

Could Abigail Stanton remain in Brookfield permanently?

GAC Family, which is run by Bill Abbott, the former head of the Hallmark Channel, has made a smart decision in returning Loughlin to her character, and her appearance will likely draw in more viewers to the fledgling show whose status was up in the air since it ended its first season two years ago in October 2019.

While there’s no word on whether Abigail Stanton will return more often to Brookfield, there’s no reason why the small town couldn’t make room for another smart, capable woman, especially since Hallmark has made its position clear. And it’s not like Brookfield couldn’t use an equally smart teenager like Cody to help the kids at the orphanage.

Whether or not this is a recurring or permanent position remains to be seen, but at least Lori Loughlin's fans will have the opportunity to see her onscreen again in the beloved character from When Calls the Heart. It's a shame, though, that she won't be able to show up in Hope Valley.

When Hope Calls returns in a two-part Christmas movie, beginning on Saturday, December 18th at 8:00 p.m. EST.