When Calls the Heart might have just started its 13th season on the 2026 TV schedulebut there will be so much more to look forward to in Hope Valley beyond the new season. Hallmark Channel has already renewed the long-running romance drama for Season 14, and along with that, Lori Loughlin will be returning as Abigail Stanton after departing in Season 6 due to her role in the college admissions scandal. Erin Krakow is already excited to work with Loughlin again, and there’s one moment she can’t wait to have with her.
It was announced in December that Loughlin would be returning as Abigail in a multi-episode arc for Season 14, and Krakow was quick to welcome her back to the family with a sweet Instagram post. The love fest is continuing, as Krakow told Us Weekly what she’s most excited about regarding Abigail’s return to Hope Valley, and it includes moments between her and Krakow’s Elizabeth as well as Martin Cummins’ Henry:
I’m really excited for that moment that Elizabeth and Abigail finally get to hug ‘hello’ after many years apart. But there’s just always been something between Henry Gowen and Abigail, and I can’t wait to see how that develops.
Since Abigail was one of the first to welcome Elizabeth to Hope Valley, the two quickly formed a friendship and a special bond, so seeing their reunion will definitely be one for the books. Their reunion won’t be the only one to look forward to, though.
As Krakow said, Abigail and Henry’s eventual reunion will be a special one. Likely an emotional one, too. Their relationship has been a complicated one, but it was obvious they loved and cared for one another, and those feelings have not gone away, as evidenced by Abigail’s name-drop in the Season 10 finale when Henry was staring at Abigail’s Café and going to her door.
That being said, not much has been shared about what will bring Abigail back to Hope Valley. She had left to take care of her sick mother, and while Loughlin has been on the spinoff, When Hope Callsthere’s no telling what will be in store. Not surprisingly, Krakow is keeping tight-lipped about the upcoming season, but not because she can’t share any details:
I can’t tell you anything about it because I don’t know anything about it. We haven’t written the season yet.
Considering When Calls the Heart was only just renewed for Season 14 a month ago, it makes sense that nothing has been written yet. Production is set to commence sometime this year, but additional information has not been revealed. So for now, fans will just have to theorize what will happen and how Abigail’s return will go down.
If anything, it should be interesting to see Lori Loughlin back on When Calls the Heart. The actress has slowly been getting back into acting since the College Admissions Scandal in 2019, most recently starring in Dick Wolf’s short-lived Prime procedural On Call. Whether she will be appearing in more than six episodes beyond Season 14 remains to be seen, but for now, new episodes of WCTH air on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark.
