Hallmark Channel Announces 2 New Christmas Programs After Dropping Lori Loughlin
The Hallmark Channel isn’t letting the drama with Lori Loughlin damper their holiday spirit.
On Thursday, Hallmark announced two new Christmas series set to premiere this holiday season, Project Christmas Joy: Alabama and Christmas Cookie Countdown.
Project Christmas Joy: Alabama will give one town seriously lacking festive spirit a much-needed dose of holiday cheer. The show will transform the town into a picturesque Hallmark movie scene, complete with extravagant tree lights and plenty of mistletoe.
“This show aligns perfectly with Hallmark Drama’s exclusive offering of original content,” said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks. “We look forward to bringing Hallmark holiday joy to a special town in Alabama for the 2019 Christmas season.”
Christmas Cookie Countdown will bring together a handful of talented amateur home bakers to compete in a variety of cookie challenges. The five-episode series will feature a panel of three pastry chefs and hosted by a rotating list of beloved Hallmark stars.
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The two shows will be among the network’s first on-air original content since its launch in 2017.
The announcement comes on the heels of the network’s decision to drop Loughlin in the wake of the college admissions scandal.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE last week, the network said, “We are saddened by the recent news surrounding the college admissions allegations.”
“We are no longer working with Lori Loughlin and have stopped development of all productions that air on the Crown Media Family Network channels involving Lori Loughlin including Garage Sale Mysteries, an independent third party production,” the statement continued.
Along with stopping any current projects, the network will no longer air past content featuring Loughlin.
The actress became a staple on the channel over the years, starring in numerous movies, TV shows and specials. She is currently starring as a series regular on Hallmark’s drama When Calls the Heart, which is currently in its sixth season.
Loughlin, 54, and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, 55, are among dozens charged in an alleged college admissions scam involving elite colleges and universities including Yale, Georgetown, the University of Southern California and Stanford.
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The indictment alleges the couple “agreed to pay bribes totaling $500,000 in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the USC crew team — despite the fact that they did not participate in crew — thereby facilitating their admission to USC.” (Neither Olivia or Isabella are listed on the USC women’s rowing roster.)
Both Loughlin and Giannulli were both arrested last week on a felony charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. They were released on $1 million bonds and have not entered pleas. Loughlin’s attorney has not returned PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
