Lori Loughlin Left 'When Calls the Heart' a Long Time Ago, but Is She Back on the Show?

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 13 of When Calls the Heart.

Lori Loughlin is one of those actors who may not be top-of-mind, but each time you see her on your screen, you can't help but smile. Perhaps it's the nostalgia that those of us who grew up on Full House feel, or maybe it's her girl-next-door energy, but something about the actor is endearing. That's why it was such a blow for When Calls the Heart fans when Lori exited the show.

Since the series premiered in 2014, Lori has delighted viewers as Abigail Stanton aka Elizabeth's best friend. However, the actress was written off the show in 2019, much to fans' dismay. Rumor has it, though, that Abigail is back in Hope Valley!

Abigail Fans can rejoice, because Lori Loughlin truly did return to the show! The actor appeared in the Season 13 finale and promises to remain on the show in Season 14. Lori's big comeback scene showed her stepping out of a car, smiling, and saying, "It's good to be home."

It's hard to tell who was more excited by Abigail's return — When Calls the Heart fans, or Lori herself. Per People, when asked how it felt to be back on the show, the actor stated, "It feels amazing, and my girl [Erin Krakow] here has been championing this for a long time. When did I find out, maybe like a month ago, two months ago, and I just want to thank everyone at Hallmark for being so loving and so welcoming … and this just feels incredible."

When Calls the Heart explained Abigail's Season 6 departure by the character moving "back East" to take care of her mother who was ill. In reality, Lori's exit from the Hallmark Channel show was related to family issues, but it was far less wholesome.

Remember the Operation Varsity Blues scandal of 2019? It was when a bunch of people were accused of bribing college administrators in order to get their kids into top schools. Lori was one of the individuals arrested for being a part of the scandal. The actor has since served her time and apologized to the public. That said, Hallmark chose to distance its channel from Lori amidst the drama.

It's been a rough few years for Lori, but seeing her take full responsibility for her actions — along with her aforementioned overall likability — has fans rooting for her comeback. Given the internet's overwhelmingly positive response to Abigail's return to When Calls the Heart, it seems the public is ready to give Lori a second chance.

Clearly, the Hallmark Channel agrees with viewers' sentiments. Hallmark Media's Head of Programming, Michelle Vicary, made a statement about Lori's return to the network. As per The Sun, Michelle said, "At its core, the Hallmark brand is about hope, positivity, and connection, which is also the central theme of When Calls the Heart. We felt that Season 14 was the right time to continue Abigail’s story with her return to this beloved series." We couldn't agree more!