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Loughlin, an original cast member of ‘When Calls the Heart,’ was fired by the network in 2019 after being indicted in the college admission scandal
Inga Parkelin New YorkWednesday 03 December 2025 22:33 GMTComments
CloseRelated: Lori Loughlin Returning to Acting Following College Admissions Scandal | THR News
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Lori Loughlin is making her Hallmark Channel comeback, several years after she was fired due to her involvement in the college admissions bribery scandal.
Loughlin, 61, who starred as Abigail Stanton in the first six seasons of the period romance drama When Calls the Heart, was charged in March 2019 — alongside her husband, Mossimo Giannulli — of paying $500,000 in bribes to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as fake athletic recruits.
Within a matter of days, Hallmark announced it was severing ties with the Full House star, and her character was written off the show.
However, in a surprising new update, the network revealed that Loughlin will indeed be making her return as Abigail in six episodes of the show’s upcoming season 14. The Western is currently gearing up to release its 13th season in January.
“Since the series’ debut in 2014, the character of Abigail Stanton was a fan favorite and beloved by the Hearties,” Michelle Vicary, Head of Programming, Hallmark Media, told People. “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.”
open image in galleryLori Loughlin portrayed Abigail in 'When Calls the Heart' before she was fired in 2019 due to her conviction in the college admission scandal (Getty Images)
open image in galleryLoughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli exit the Boston federal courthouse in August 2019 (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)Loughlin will reunite with several former original co-stars, including Erin Krakow, Pascale Hutton and Jack Wagner, with production on season 14 beginning next year, followed by an expected release date in 2027. Kavan Smith, Chris McNally and Kevin McGarry will also return.
When Calls the Heart follows a young high-society schoolteacher (Krakow) who experiences culture shock when she’s assigned to a school in the fictional small coal-mining town of Hope Valley.
Loughlin last appeared in the third episode of season six. In the show, it was explained that her character had to leave Hope Valley to care for her sick mother back East.
At the time, it was reported that the network had to re-edit some episodes to remove Loughlin from the story, as well as arrange for additional cast reshoots. According to Entertainment Weekly, an entire episode was cut to accommodate the creative changes.
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In May 2020, Loughlin and Giannulli pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Loughlin was sentenced to two months in prison, while Giannulli was sentenced to five months. In addition to the prison sentence, Loughlin was ordered to pay a $150,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service. Under his own plea deal, Loughlin’s husband was ordered to pay a $250,000 fine and perform 250 hours of community service.
Recently, the couple, who are parents to daughters Isabella Rose and Olivia Jade, announced they were separating after 28 years of marriage.
“They are living apart and taking a break from their marriage. There are no legal proceedings at this time,” Loughlin’s representative Elizabeth Much told People magazine in October.
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