The show must go on. After Hallmark Channel fired Lori Loughlin for her alleged involvement in the college admissions scandal, the producers behind When Calls the Heart assured viewers that the drama will not be canceled.
“Hearties, thank you for your love, support and patience these last several days as we have all been preoccupied with the news about Lori Loughlin and her family, and the decisions our colleagues at the Hallmark Channel USA needed to make,” the show’s co-creator Brian Bird and other members of the production team said in a statement posted on Instagram on Saturday, March 16. “As you can imagine, everyone involved with When Calls the Heart was surprised by these developments, so we hope you can forgive us for initially staying silent while we sorted through how to respond.”
The statement continued, “As for the show itself, we know millions of fans are on pins and needles wondering what will happen now. Let us reassure you, When Calls the Heart has always been bigger than the sum of its parts, and it HAS NOT BEEN CANCELED. With the full support of the network, we have gone on a creative hiatus to do some retooling on the remaining season 6 episodes. That process has already begun. Hope Valley will return to your TV screens as soon as we can bring the episodes to you.”
The production team then thanked viewers for being understanding during a “challenging transition,” noting that the messages of support they have received “brought a lot of tears to the eyes of our cast and crew and to the good folks at Hallmark Channel.”
Loughlin, 54, and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, were among the 50 people who were charged on Tuesday, March 12, in the headline-making scam. The couple have been accused of paying $500,000 to have their daughters, Bella, 20, and Olivia Jade, 19, labeled as crew team recruits at the University of Southern California even though they are not rowers and had no plans to train in the sport.
Loughlin was taken into federal custody on Wednesday, March 13, in connection with the bribery scheme. She and Giannulli, 55, were each released on a $1 million bond and are set to appear in court on March 29.
Hallmark Channel announced on Thursday, March 14, that it had cut ties with the Full House alum in the wake of the news. Multiple reports later claimed that she will not appear in the final season of Netflix’s Fuller House revival.
Loughlin starred on When Calls the Heart since January 2014.
