How Will Lori Loughlin’s Legal Drama Affect Hallmark’s ‘When Calls the Heart’?
UPDATED (3/15/2019):
Following Loughlin’s firing from Hallmark, fans who worried about the future of When Calls the Heart are now being comforted by the network.
According to a Twitter post from the channel, the show will continue on in her absence, “#Hearties, we assure you that Hallmark Channel has no plans to cancel When Calls the Heart. Hope Valley has many more stories left to share and we will let you know the details soon.”
#Hearties, we assure you that Hallmark Channel has no plans to cancel When Calls the Heart. Hope Valley has many more stories left to share and we will let you know the details soon. pic.twitter.com/z1m6iS2PSP
— Hallmark Channel (@hallmarkchannel) March 15, 2019
So, as the network said above, rest assured When Calls the Heart fans, the show will return.
UPDATED (3/14/2019):
Lori Loughlin has officially been fired from the Hallmark Channel, a statement released by Crown Media Family Network Channels confirmed the news.
“We are saddened by the recent news surrounding the college admissions allegations. We are no longer working with Lori Loughlin and have stopped development of all productions that air on the Crown Media Family Network channels involving Lori Loughlin including Garage Sale Mysteries, an independent third party production.”
The news comes just two days after the indictment against her was made public, the actress was accused of bribing her daughter’s way into USC with $500,000.
ORIGINAL STORY (3/13/2019):
As fans of the Hallmark Channel series When Calls the Heart probably know by now, star Lori Loughlin was indicted this week for allegedly bribing her daughters’ way into college.
The former Full House actress was named alongside fellow actress Felicity Huffman in a case indicting dozens of parents who paid upwards of $6 million to cheat their kids’ way into school. Considering the case ahead, Loughlin’s future with When Calls the Heart is now coming into question by viewers.
Sure, she’s known to some as Aunt Becky, but Loughlin’s also played Abigail Stanton for six seasons on the hour-long period drama. And while no official word about Loughlin’s future with Hallmark has changed, conditions for traveling may impact it.
Loughlin’s husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, was charged Tuesday and released on $1 million bail on the condition that he only be allowed to travel within the Continental United States. It was during this time in court that Loughlin’s need to travel was discussed.
Loughlin with Erin Krakow in When Calls the Heart (Copyright 2018 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Ricardo Hubbs)
The actress has reportedly requested permission to travel to Vancouver, BC, as that’s where When Calls the Heart films. At that time, no permission has been granted, but during Giannulli’s court appearance, the judge shared that it wouldn’t be impossible to receive the proper approval.
And the judge’s statement wasn’t wrong as the actress was granted permission to travel under the condition that she keep the courts aware of her whereabouts by sharing her traveling schedule. Loughlin is currently set to work on projects for the Hallmark Channel through the better part of spring and summer this year.
Loughlin is currently appearing in the sixth season of the Hallmark favorite. When Calls the Heart is still in production as the show has seven episodes that have yet to air during its latest season.
That said, there’s a chance that Loughlin will return to working on When Calls the Heart as the trial continues, but depending on how legal proceedings go, she may have to eventually leave the show. Only time will tell.
Loughlin has become somewhat of a staple on the network appearing in many of their seasonal films as well as When Calls the Heart. The actress has also reprised her role as Aunt Becky in Netflix’s spinoff series Fuller House which will air its final season this year.
When Calls the Heart, Sundays, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel
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I will not continue to watch "Garage Sale Mystery." What she did was outrageous, and we're getting more of a glimpse of her daughter's lack of character through all this. She no longer deserves to be the face of Hallmark Channel.
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It's sad it has come to this. I record the show and now watching it and hard to believe she took part in this cheating scandal, paying $500,000. She ruined her reputation as she actually thought it was worth it just so her daughter could attend an elite university. Kids who deserved it and had parents that would never be part of a scam were shut out because of these parents who actually dishonesty was the way to go. I've very disappointed in this actress as I thought she was better than this even though I think this have been going on for a long time.
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From the last I saw, at least one of the schools has admitted to finding even more that have done this.
I am glad they were caught. Cheating for school is nothing new, but sunlight is the best disinfectant. I hope this rips the schools apart in terms of finding out where a lot of the fraud is. Not just in terms of who cheats, but in part why colleges are such rip off artists.
WCTH is one of the few TV programs I watch. Quite honestly, she could easily be written out, or just replaced by another actress. Likely best just written out. That cast is a good group, hopefully she has not destroyed their situation.
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This entire situation is a huge disappointment to me. I am sad that she'll be leaving When Calls the Heart. However, I don't want her back. I am sad that she wasn't a better mother in real life. Her daughter is a reflection of all that went wrong in their family.
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O
I certainly do not condone what she has done - it was wrong and she should be punished if guilty. However, as a fan of When Calls the Heart, I am also being punished by not being able to access the new season's shows on the Hallmark website. It is not even being listed as a show, and when I Google it, it comes up, but clicking goes to a message saying "there are no shows available." It seems that Hallmark has suddenly decided to forget this show ever existed! Not fair to me, especially since I understand the entire season has already been filmed. Kill her off for next season if you want, but let me see the current episodes!
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No one is above anything. I guess she wasn't as squeeky clean as we all had hoped. Enjoy Abigail while you can. Hallmark is probably going to drop her. Well look at it this way, maybe they will bring back Jack. They both can't be off or the show will flop.
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I don't know, the show went on fine without Jack. I think LL could easily be written out and replaced. That is the thing about those type of shows. New characters come and older ones leave.
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What ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty" and really who cares if she slipped money under the table, tell me it's not done ALL the time for athletes and people with more money than sense.
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Your comment doesn't make much sense. First of all, she turned herself in and all evidence points to her having done these things. Second, what exactly has happened that you think is wrong? The legalities of the proceedings are as they should be. But, if you're thinking she shouldn't lose a job, if she even does, because of this since she hasn't been tried yet, innocent until proven guilty is in a court of law. Hallmark is very much a family friendly channel who may not like their reputation tarnished by continuing to work with her and they'd be well within their righs if they choose to fire her. And, just because a lot of people do something doesn't mean it's not still illegal.
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"Who cares if she slipped money under the table"??? Maybe the rest of America cares. The people who CAN'T AFFORD to "slip money under the table." People who actually work hard, kids who do the school work to earn the grades to be eligible. If YOUR kid busted her butt on schoolwork and team sports and community service projects and *should* have qualified for a slot in a college or university, how would YOU feel if some broad with more money than smarts greased a palm--and LIED about her kid's accomplishments--to get that spot at the school, leaving your hardworking, ambitious kid on the sidelines? People have been materially hurt by this.
Not to mention, what kind of example does this set for the kids? That LYING and CHEATING are the way to go, to get what they want? By her own admission, one of Loughlin's daughters doesn't care about college in the least. All she's interested in is going to parties and the college's social life. She's too busy with her Instagram "career" (or whatever you call what these bubble-heads do) to care bout getting an actual education.
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Yep to everything.
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