Hallmark Channel News: When Calls the Heart Will Carry On Without Lori Loughlin

After the disgraced actress was fired by the Hallmark Channel, the script has been rewritten to remove Abigail Stanton’s character.

Many Hearties were distressed to hear Lori Loughlin wasn’t returning to “When Calls the Heart.” They had been hoping her character, Abigail Stanton would return. However, the showrunner told Entertainment Tonight that they shouldn’t have any expectation of the disgraced Lori returning to the screen.

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Hearties watch the first episode without Abigail

When Hallmark aired the Christmas special of “When Calls the Heart,” one familiar character was nowhere to be seen. Hearties were sad, as this was the first-holiday episode reflecting the story without Loughlin. However, sad though it may be, fans will have to get used to the idea.

Alfonso H. Moreno spoke with ET about the removal of the character, but without mentioning Lori by name. He admitted fans and the characters in the show all miss Abigail, but he said it is all about embracing the past, while looking to the future.

Right from the show’s premiere in 2014, Loughlin played the role of the widow, Abigail, who became Hope Valley’s mayor. However, she and her husband were accused by prosecutors of having paid $500,000 to make sure their daughters gained admission to the University of Southern California. Crown Media Family Network, the parent company of Hallmark, made a statement to say the network was “saddened” to hear of the college admissions scandals, saying the network could no longer work with Loughlin. She was fired by the Hallmark Channel in March 2019.

Hearties asking why 'When Calls the Heart' Season 6 isn’t streaming on Netflix @celebratesoaps https://t.co/INN4MyWXoG #WCTH

— SOS/CTS/HH (@SoapOperaSpy) January 7, 2020

Episodes of ‘When Calls the Heart’ edited

The Hallmark Channel went on to pull new episodes of the popular show from the schedule, which were then edited to remove any evidence of Abigail. However, many fans were sad to see Loughlin’s character go and were hoping she would return to Hope Valley one day. Some stressed that as the show’s spirit reflects forgiveness, they felt Hallmark could forgive Lori and reinstate her character. Others suggested Abigail’s character could be recast, but it looks like they are out of luck.

In the meantime, season 7 of “When Calls the Heart” has completed filming. While the premiere date is yet to be announced by Hallmark, it is sure to be available soon. Even without Abigail, there will be plenty to enjoy, including new storylines and characters, a wedding, a new job for Elizabeth, as well as a possible resolution of the love triangle between Elizabeth, Nathan, and Lucas. What’s not to love?