In a major announcement for its fans, the Hallmark Channel has renewed its hit series When Calls the Heart for a fourteenth season. Ahead of the season 13 premiere in January, the network also confirmed that original star Lori Loughlin will return to the show. She is set to reprise her fan-favorite role as Abigail Stanton.
The early renewal for the 2027 season brings back a central character who has been absent from Hope Valley for nearly seven years. Loughlin is scheduled to appear in six of the twelve new episodes. This news gives the show’s dedicated fan base, known as the Hearties, a lot to look forward to over the next two years.
Details on the Season 14 Renewal and Filming Schedule
Hallmark made the renewal official on December 2, 2025, choosing to announce the news well before the upcoming season begins. Season 13 of When Calls the Heart is still scheduled to premiere on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
Production for the fourteenth season is planned to start next year, in 2026. The new episodes are expected to air on Hallmark Channel in 2027. This early vote of confidence from the network highlights the show’s continued success as one of cable television’s top-rated programs.
“Since the series’ debut in 2014, the character of Abigail Stanton was a fan favorite and beloved by the Hearties,” said Michelle Vicary, Head of Programming for Hallmark Media. “At its core the Hallmark brand is about hope, positivity and connection, which is also the central theme of When Calls the Heart. We felt that Season 14 was the right time to continue Abigail’s story with her return to this beloved series.”
Lori Loughlin’s Return as Abigail Stanton
Lori Loughlin was a main cast member when When Calls the Heart first began in 2014. She played Abigail Stanton, who became the first friend of Erin Krakow’s character, Elizabeth, when she arrived in the frontier town. Her character was written out of the show during its sixth season.
Her final episode aired on March 10, 2019. At that time, the story explained her sudden departure by having Abigail travel east to care for a sick mother. This move followed Loughlin’s involvement in a national college admissions scandal, which led Hallmark to sever ties with her in 2019.
Loughlin was absent from the series for almost seven years. Her return to the role in Season 14 will mark a significant comeback to the Hallmark network.
The Show’s Story and Returning Cast
When Calls the Heart is based on the novel by Janette Oke. The series is set in the early 1900s and follows schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton, who leaves her comfortable city life for a new beginning in the small frontier community of Hope Valley.
Alongside Loughlin, the core cast will return for the new season. This includes series lead Erin Krakow as Elizabeth, as well as Kevin McGarry, Jack Wagner, Chris McNally, Pascale Hutton, and Kavan Smith. Other cast members like Martin Cummins, Andrea Brooks, and Viv Leacock are also set to return.
The series is produced by All Canadian Entertainment in association with Brad Krevoy Television and Believe Pictures.
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Reactions and the Path to Return
The decision to bring Lori Loughlin back follows years of speculation and hope from both fans and cast members. Lead actress Erin Krakow had publicly shared her support for Loughlin’s return in the past.
“I love Lori Loughlin, and I love the character she created, Abigail Stanton,” Krakow told a media outlet earlier this year. “I’m very much a fan of hers and a friend of hers, so I really hope that it’s happening.”
Co-creator Brian Bird also hinted at ongoing discussions during a 2023 podcast appearance, noting that “good conversations” were happening about the possibility. This marks Loughlin’s second return to the When Calls the Heart universe; she previously reprised her role as Abigail for two episodes of the spinoff series When Hope Calls on Great American Family in 2021.
The show’s upcoming thirteenth season will continue to explore life in Hope Valley when it premieres in January 2026 on the Hallmark Channel.
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