And we finally got the answer we wanted to hear. Yes! We just learned that season 2 will premiere in December on a new network. Here are all the details about the new season of When Hope Calls.
What is When Hope Calls?
When Hope Calls follows the lives of two sisters, Lillian (Morgan Kohan) and Grace (Jocelyn Hudon), who are reunited as adults after they were separated as children after the death of their parents. Both went into an orphanage after the tragedy, but only Lillian was adopted. When Lillian finds her sister after years of searching, the two move back to Lillian’s adopted family’s home in Brookfield to start their own orphanage.
Is When Hope Calls based on other material?
When Hope Calls is a spin-off series of When Calls the Heart, the popular period series that airs on Hallmark Channel. When Calls the Heart is entering its ninth season. The original series is based on books by Janette Oke about a teacher who takes a position in a small Canadian town and eventually falls in love with the town’s mountie.
When does production begin on the new season of When Hope Calls?
Production has wrapped on the Christmas episodes of When Hope Calls. The rest of season 2 has yet to resume production.
Where can I watch season 2 of When Hope Calls?
The new season of When Hope Calls will premiere and air on GAC Family. The network, formerly known as Great American Country, rebranded in June.
What is the release date for season 2 of When Hope Calls?
Season 2 of When Hope Calls will premiere with a two-episode holiday special on Saturday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on GAC Family.
How can I watch season 1 of When Hope Calls?
What’s happening in season 2 of When Hope Calls?
We don’t know yet what’s happening in the new season of When Hope Calls but we do know that the two-part season premiere will bring back some familiar faces. In the two-hour season 2 premiere, “When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas,” the town of Brookfield amps up its holiday charm as it vies to be named Harper’s Bazaar magazine’s No. 1 Country Christmas Town. As they try to put on the facade of a joyous Christmas community for the magazine’s photojournalist, things are not so festive behind the scenes. In the midst of it all, a familiar face comes to town. Abigail (Lori Loughlin) and her son Cody (Carter Ryan) come to Brookfield to bring a troubled boy to Lillian’s orphanage. Later, as the photojournalist is finishing up his time in Brookfield, Lillian and the orphans, along with Gabriel (Ryan-James Hatanaka) are running out of options to restore the troubled boy’s hope for better times. Just when all seems lost, a secret Santa appears to make the holidays a lot happier. Meanwhile, Abigail has a profound conversation with a dear friend from the past. Might this mean a possible #Henrigail moment? This fan hopes so!
First look: Watch Lori Loughlin’s return to When Hope Calls
Who’s in the When Hope Calls cast?
While we expect Kohan, Hudon and Hatanaka will return, it’s unclear if other characters from the first season will be back. There was a budding romance between Grace and Chuck (#Chace) and hints of a possible romance between general store owner Joe Moody and nurse Maggie Parsons (#Pardy).
Morgan Kohan (Lillian Walsh)
Lillian is the eldest of the two sisters and was adopted by a Brookfield family. Kohan has had guest-starring roles on Batwoman, The Bold Type and Star Trek: Discovery. She has also starred in Love on Harbor Island and A Whirlwind Wedding. Fun fact:Kohan’s favorite musical is Waitress.
Ryan-James Hatanaka (Gabriel Kinslow)
The town’s constable, Gabriel Kinslow was previously injured in the line of duty and he’s sweet on Lillian. Hatanaka also stars on The CW’s Riverdale as Detective Abe Tamura and as Dr. Evan Wallace on NBC’s Nurses. Fun fact:In his younger years, Hatanaka was a ball boy for the Toronto Blue Jays!
Wendy Crewson (Tess Stewart)
Tess owns the biggest ranch in town, a business she built with her late husband. She believes Lillian’s adoptive father caused the accident that killed her husband and their relationship has been strained ever since. Crewson has had a four-decade-long career acting in television and film. Her recent roles include recurring spots on Titans, Frankie Drake Mysteries and October Faction.
Jefferson Brown (Joe Moody)
Joe is a widow and the owner of the town’s general store. A fire burned down his original store and the town banded together to help renovate another space so he wouldn’t have to leave town. Brown has had recent guest-starring roles on SurrealEstate, Hudson & Rex and Spinning Out.
Hanneke Talbot (Maggie Parsons)
A world traveler, Maggie hails from England and begins to work as a nurse when she finds herself in Brookfield. Born in the Netherlands, the British-Canadian Talbot has guest-starred on Star Trek: Discovery, iZombie, Supernatural and Titans.
Marshall Williams (Sam Tremblay)
Sam is a prospector who takes on the odd job or two to make some cash. He is hired by the orphanage to make some repairs prior to an inspection. Williams is best known for his turn as Spencer Porter on Glee. He can be seen in Hallmark Channel’s Love Strikes Twice, Amazing Winter Romance and Follow Me to Daisy Hills.
Neil Crone (Ronnie Stewart)
Ronnie owns the local hotel in Brookfield and always seems to have some get-rich-quick scheme up his sleeve. He’s the brother-in-law to Tess. Crone, a voice and character actor, has over 160 credits to his name. He is the voice of Gordon on Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! series, Mayor Montagu on Corn & Peg and Ashton on Luna Petunia.
Elizabeth Saunders (Eleanor Winters)
Eleanor is the caretaker at the orphanage and a longtime family friend of Lillian’s. Saunders has had guest spots on SurrealEstate, Clarice and Frankie Drake Mysteries.
Are there any notable guest stars in season 2 of When Hope Calls?
You bet! We do know that Lori Loughlin will reprise her role as Abigail Stanton and make her return to acting with the new season of When Hope Calls. Loughlin, who went on an unexpected hiatus from acting after she was caught up in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, has since pleaded guilty to the charges against her and served her prison sentence. Abigail does show up in Brookfield with her son, Cody, and original actor, Carter Ryan Evancic (who now goes by just “Carter Ryan”), will reprise his role. And now we know that Daniel Lissing, who played mountie Jack Thornton, will also be back as guest stars in the holiday premiere of When Hope Calls season 2. Check back here for more casting updates!
Who’s not returning to the cast for season 2 of When Hope Calls?
Greg Hovanessian (Chuck Stewart)
Chuck was the town’s veterinarian and the son of local ranching magnate, Tess Stewart (Wendy Crewson). It was love at first sight for him when Grace came to town. He confessed how much he liked her in the first season finale when Grace was headed out of town to chaperone an orphan back to England to reunite her with a lost grandparent. Hovanessian has had recurring roles on Netflix’s Another Life and Hulu’s Cardinal. He’s also a fitness buff and likes to restore motorcycles.
How is Daniel Lissing’s When Calls the Heart character going to return from the dead for When Hope Calls?
For five seasons, Lissing played Mountie Jack Thornton on When Calls the Heart and won the adoration of fans worldwide as Jack romanced Elizabeth. After making the difficult decision to leave the show, his character was killed off—the newlywed Jack died in a training exercise. So who will Lissing play on When Hope Calls? Perhaps a relation of Jack’s—a cousin, maybe a long lost twin brother no one knew about? Or will he appear in a flashback scene with Abigail? Or will he play a new character with no relation to Mountie Jack? Hearties, Parade.com has learned that Lissing will return in the Christmas special as Mountie Jack Thornton in a single scene. Perhaps Abigail will be visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future and Mountie Jack is that of Christmas past. GAC remains mum on Lissing’s involvement in the episode but assures fans it’s one they won’t want to miss! We’ll have to tune in on Dec. 18 to see! Lissing told Entertainment Tonight, “I’m excited to be invited to participate in the season 2 premiere of When Hope Calls. I’m also very much looking forward to meeting the When Hope Calls team and to be working with my friend Lori again.”
The Real Reason Jocelyn Hudon Is Not Returning for When Hope Calls Season 2
We just learned some sad news about When Hope Calls. Jocelyn Hudon, whose character, Grace Bennett, is Lillian’s sister and oneof the founders of the orphanage, will not be returning for season 2. Due to scheduling conflicts, Hudon will not be involved with the second season of When Hope Calls. #Chace shippers will have to wait to see if Grace ever returns from England and continue the budding romance between her and Chuck. In season 1, we learned that her desire to work in the orphanage was inspired by her time in an orphanage after her parents were tragically killed. Her sister Lillian was adopted, but Grace aged out of the system.
Where is When Hope Calls filmed?
The fictional town of Brookfield in season 1 of When Hope Calls was filmed near the town of Powassan, Ontario, Canada—about a three-and-a-half-hour drive north of Toronto. The entire town of Brookfield and all its buildings were built from scratch specifically for the show.
All About the Janette Oke When Hope Calls Book Series
The show also has its own series of books. Written by When Calls the Heart author Janette Oke and her daughter, Laurel Oke Logan, theWhen Hope Calls book series delves deeper into the sisters’ backstory. In Unyielding Hope, the first of three books in the series, we learn more about Lillian Walsh (played by Morgan Kohan in the TV series) and her search for her sister, Grace (Jocelyn Hudon), who Lillian had presumed to be dead all these years. Unyielding Hope is on sale now. Next, Where Is When Calls the Heart Filmed?
