Will Lori Loughlin ever return to “When Calls the Heart” on Hallmark? Well, “When Calls the Heart” star Erin Krakow recently teased Abigail Stanton’s potential return to the show, saying it it might happen “sooner than later.”
Loughlin’s return to ‘WCTH’
Krakow — who plays Elizabeth Thatcher on “When Calls the Heart” — recently told Good Housekeeping that Loughlin’s return would be a welcomed one.
- “I love Lori and would be so happy to see her back in Hope Valley sooner than later. She’s obviously always in my heart, so that would bring me a lot of joy.”
How Loughlin left ‘WCTH’
Loughlin played Abigail Stanton on “When Calls the Heart” before she was arrested in the college admissions scandal. Hallmark fired Loughlin after the scandal came to light.
- Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, were charged in the scandal for allegedly paying $500,000 in bribes to William “Rick” Singer. This was to make sure that Olivia Jade and Isabella Rose Giannulli could be crew recruit student athletes for the University of Southern California. Loughlin and Giannulli originally pleaded not guilty before flipping their plea in 2020. Loughlin served two months in jail during winter 2020. Giannulli is wrapping up his five-month sentence in home confinement.
Loughlin’s character left town to take care of her ill mother. She was never recast or really mentioned again.
Elizabeth directly mentioned Stanton’s exit on the show when it returned following a brief haitus after the college admissions scandal, as I wrote for the Deseret News. Elizabeth wrote a letter in the episode that mentioned the exit, according to Entertainment Weekly.
- “We never know how life will turn,” she began. “It’s been a week since Abigail got word that her mother had taken ill back East. True to her nature, Abigail wasted no time in rushing off to care for her.”
- “Abigail is much more than a friend. She’s family, and I will miss her and Cody deeply. We all will. But we must get by as best we can.”
Any other hints?
Back in February, Krakow told Fox News she would support Loughlin’s return to “When Calls the Heart.”
- “Well, I sure hope so,” Krakow said. “Real life Abigail is one of my dearest friends. Her name still hangs on a sign above the cafe. She will always be an incredibly important part of ‘When Calls the Heart.’ I would love to see her character back in Hope Valley again. We’ve got a lot more exciting stories that we could tell with her.”