Jordan Karlesson
Lori Loughlin walked out of prison in December 2021 after serving two months for the widely publicized college admissions scandal. Is the actor now about to walk away from the Hallmark Channel?
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Lori Loughlin made a name for herself by playing Rebecca Donaldson Katsopolis (a.k.a. “Aunt Becky”) in Full House and its sequel, Fuller House. Beyond that, Lori Loughlin’s best-known projects were with The Hallmark Channel.
The 58-year-old actor was part of the main cast in When Calls the Heart, developed by Michael Landon’s son Michael Landon Jr. She starred as Abigail Stanton Hogan, a woman grieving over the death of her son, from Seasons 1 to 6.
Additionally, Garage Sale Mysteries billed her first among its cast members. from 2013 to 2019. She played Jennifer Shannon, who runs an antique shop.
Lori Loughlin participated in the college admissions scandal with her husband fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, the mastermind behind the scam. Loughlin and 50 other parents paid bribes to get their children into the University of Southern California.
Loughlin and Giannulli got indicted in “Operation Varsity Blues” in March 2019 along with dozens of other wealthy and famous individuals. They bribed their kids’ way into elite colleges by falsely placing them on athletic teams or helping them cheat on their SATs or ACTs.
The Hallmark Channel ended its deal with Lori Loughlin that same month. The channel also removed her from all its properties.
That marked the end of Garage Sale Mysteries as well.
Lori Loughlin’s Next Chapter
Lori Loughlin pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in May 2020. In addition to the two-month prison sentence, a judge hit Loughlin with a $150,000 fine and 100 hours of community service.
Despite the termination of Lori Loughlin’s deal with Hallmark, she reprised her role as Abigail Stanton Hogan in the second season of When Hope Calls, a When Calls the Heart spinoff.
That show originally aired on the Hallmark Channel but moved to Great American Country (GAC) in 2021. Loughlin’s appearance marked her first return to the screen since her prison term.
GAC’s CEO is Bill Abbott, the former president and CEO of Hallmark parent company Crown Media Family Networks.
Abbott hopes Loughlin will call GAC home, according to a Variety article published Wednesday.
“We talk three times a week,” Abbott reportedly said about Loughlin. “We have two scripts that she really likes, one of which we’ll greenlight for this year or next year. Lori’s a good friend and somebody who we would love nothing more than to do a movie with, and we’re hopeful.”
If Lori Laughlin joins Great American Family, she will follow in the footsteps of Candace Cameron Bure.
In April 2022, Bure said announced her departure from the Hallmark Channel after 14 years. That same month, TVLine reported Lori Loughlin had joined Great American Family.
