Melissa Gilbert will appear in the upcoming season of the Hallmark favorite When Calls The Heart
At the annual Hearties Family Reunion in Vancouver, British Columbia, on September 14th, Hallmark delighted fans when they announced that Melissa Gilbert will make a guest appearance in the 12th season of the fan-favorite show When Calls The Heart.
According to the press release, Gilbert will guest star as Georgie McGill in a two-episode arc during the show’s forthcoming season, which is set to air in 2025. The network dropped the hint that Gilbert’s character will share “a surprising past with one special Hope Valley resident.”
Watch a clip of the announcement below!
View this post on Instagram
Discover the connection between Little House on the Prarie and When Calls The Heart
Melissa Gilbert is best known for her role as Laura Ingalls Wilder in Little House, and diehard fans may know that there is an unexpected connection between the two beloved television shows.
Michael Landon Jr., executive producer for When Calls the Heart, is the son of Michael Landon, who portrayed Pa (Charles Ingalls) on the Little House series, which aired from 1974 to 1983.
Rumors of a Hallmark cameo first came about when Gilbert and Landon Jr. reunited at the Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion and Festival in March of this year.
Little House on the Prarie and When Calls The Heart share similar themes
Kelly Garrett, vice president of programming at Hallmark Media, described the parallels between the two shows, highlighting that both have “charming and compelling stories of hope, human connection, and frontier survival.”
Garrett reflected after sharing the news of Gilbert’s upcoming involvement:
“It was only fitting that the first people to hear this special news were the Hearties — devoted fans who have celebrated the show year after year and made it such a success. The energy being here with them to share this news is electric, and we cannot wait for them to meet Georgie next year.”
Season 12 of When Calls The Heart will consist of 12 episodes and will premiere in 2025. Stay tuned for a release date!