Over the course of 13 seasons, ‘When Calls the Heart’ has created an incredible world around the small town of Hope Valley, where friendship, romance, and community pave the way to happiness and home. Elizabeth Thornton, the resident school teacher, remains at the center of the narrative, oftentimes as the glue that supports and holds everything together. However, in the earlier seasons, when she was still a new face in the valley, even Elizabeth found herself in need of a rock to lean against. In many ways, Abigail Stanton, one of the first friends the schoolteacher ever made, became that rock for the protagonist. Therefore, her eventual departure from the story, all the way back in season 6, had come as a bit of a surprise for the fans of the show. Nonetheless, now, almost 7 years later, Elizabeth’s path may just collide with an old friend again. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Abigail Stanton Returns to Hope Valley
As the first friend Elizabeth makes after her arrival in Hope Valley from the city, Abigail Stanton remains a crucial cornerstone in the earlier seasons of ‘When Calls the Heart.’ However, by season 6, a misfortune ends up marking her departure from her hometown. News comes about her mother’s growing sickness. Having already suffered the loss of her husband and her son in a coal mining accident, Abigail, well-versed in the suffering of loss, immediately decides to go to her mother’s side to care for her. This means that the character ends up leaving without much fanfare and remains absent from the narrative for seasons to come.
However, in season 13, fans finally get to see Abigail return to the town of Hope Valley. In the climax of the finale episode, titled ‘Harvest Moon,’ a carriage arrives in town. As the doors, Abigail Stanton steps back into town, happy to be back home. As of now, the reasons behind the character’s return to Hope Valley remain unknown. It is possible that the circumstances of the obligations keeping her elsewhere have changed, for better or for worse. On the other hand, it’s also likely that her arrival in town is only for a short period of time rather than a true homecoming. Either way, Elizabeth and the rest of the town will be eager to see her reunite with her after so many years apart.
Lori Loughlin Will Be in Six Episodes of Season 14
Initially, Abigail’s departure from Hope Valley and actress Lori Loughlin’s subsequent exit from ‘When Calls the Heart’ came as a result of a real-life scandal that the latter was involved in. In 2019, Loughlin and her then-husband, Mossimo Giannulli, were charged with multiple criminal charges in relation to a high-profile college admissions scandal. In the end, the actress took a plea deal and received a two-month federal prison sentence, in addition to a $150,000 fine and 150 hours of community service. Although the incident had a toll on Loughlin, both in her personal and professional life, she was able to eventually make a comeback.
Since then, Loughlin has been a part of multiple projects, including TV shows like ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ and ‘On Call.’ Furthermore, in 2021, she even briefly reprised her role as Abigail Stanton on the ‘When Calls the Heart’ spin-off series ‘When Hope Calls.’ Later, in 2023, the show’s co-creator, Brian Bird, first discussed the possibility of Loughlin’s character returning to Hope Valley. In the end, it was decided that season 14 was the ideal time for Abigail to make her comeback. As per reports, the character would be in six out of twelve episodes in the season.
In a conversation with PauseRewind, Loughlin spoke about returning to the franchise and said, “It was very emotional. First of all, the cast is like my family, and it was just so special to come back to the show. To go back to that set is going to be amazing. I love where we shoot, and I’m over the moon, I’m so happy.” The actress further added, “I would just like to say to the fans, thank you for your support over the years; it really means a lot. And thank you for championing my coming back because they heard you, and I appreciate that.”
Read More: Is Lucas Leaving Hope Valley? Is Chris McNally Leaving When Calls the Heart?
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