A Hope Valley Homecoming: Lori Loughlin Officially Returns to "When Calls the Heart

It's official: Lori Loughlin is making her highly anticipated return to the Hallmark Channel series When Calls the Heart. Six years after her departure from the show following the college admissions scandal, Loughlin is confirmed to reprise her fan-favorite role as Abigail Stanton.

The news was confirmed by Hallmark Media on December 2, 2025, thrilling the "Hearties" fanbase who have long campaigned for her return to Hope Valley.

Season 14: The Right Time to Continue Abigail's Story

Loughlin will appear in six episodes of the upcoming Season 14, which is scheduled to premiere in 2027. Production for the season is set to begin next year.

Michelle Vicary, Hallmark Media's head of programming, stated, “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”.

A Long-Awaited Comeback

Loughlin was an original cast member when the series debuted in 2014, playing a widow who becomes a close friend to the lead character, Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow).

Her character was abruptly written off the show in 2019. In the storyline, Abigail left Hope Valley to care for her sick mother back east. Since serving her prison sentence, Loughlin has gradually returned to acting, including a role in the When Calls the Heart spin-off When Hope Calls on Great American Family in 2021.

The upcoming Season 13 of When Calls the Heart is scheduled to premiere in January 2026, setting the stage for Abigail Stanton's emotional return the following year.