Lori Loughlin is returning to TV for first time since college admissions scandal

Former "Fuller House" star Lori Loughlin is returning to acting for the first time since the 2019 college admissions scandal torpedoed her career and sent her to federal prison.

Loughlin will reprise the role of Abigail Stanton in "When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas," a spinoff to the popular Hallmark Channel series "When Calls the Heart." "When Hope Calls" is returning for a second season on a new network, GAC Family (formerly Great American Country). Loughlin will guest star in the two-part premiere set to air Dec. 18, the network said Wednesday.

The actor was released from prison in December after serving a two-month sentence for her and husband Mossimo Giannulli's involvement in schemes to get their children into the University of Southern California. She worked out a plea deal to pay a $150,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service, and is serving two years on probation.

Loughlin last appeared in Season 6 of the Hallmark Channel series, but the network severed ties with Loughlin in March 2019 after she was arrested for her participation in Operation Varsity Blues, which revealed the elaborate scheme aimed at getting students into elite colleges.

The "Full House" veteran had been been a longtime regular for the Hallmark Channel's programming, starring in a number of original romantic holiday movies, including “Homegrown Christmas” (2018), “Every Christmas Has a Story” (2016) and “Northpole: Open for Christmas” (2015), as well as the romantic drama “A Soldier’s Love Story” (2010).

Speculation that she could be returning to work began last week after the Mercury News reported that a Boston federal judge gave her permission to travel to Canada for about a week for “a filming production project.”

Olivia Jade, her 21-year-old daughter and the college-admissions scandal poster child, is also trying to mount a comeback of sorts by competing on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" this season. But her participation ignited a backlash made worse by her declaration that she's best known for being an influencer.

“After [the admissions scandal] happened, I did step back from social media and just soak in what everybody was saying,” Jade said during the show's premiere earlier this month. “I’m not trying to pull a pity card, but I just need to move forward and do better.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.