Melissa Gilbert has confirmed that her journey on ‘When Calls the Heart‘ has come to an end after two seasons. But the timing of her exit has sparked even more attention.
While the actress said she was told the decision came down to budget issues, the announcement arrives as her husband continues to face serious criminal charges.
Melissa Gilbert Says Goodbye To Hope Valley in ‘When Calls the Heart’
If you’ve been keeping up with season 13 of ‘When Calls the Heart‘, you’ve already seen Melissa Gilbert’s final appearance. The actress herself confirmed on Instagram that she won’t be back for season 14.
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Gilbert answered the question fans had been asking for weeks. She wrote, “Many people have asked if I will be returning to When Calls the Heart this coming season. The answer to that is no, I will not. I am told this is due to ‘Budget issues.’ That said, I wish all my sweet friends in Hope Valley a wonderful and successful season 14.”
She also looked back on her time with the Hallmark drama and thanked executive producer Michael Landon Jr. for the opportunity. “I will be eternally grateful to my dear friend for giving me the chance to bring Georgie McGill to life. It was a lovely couple of seasons, but it’s time to say farewell. When one door closes, another one opens. Looking forward to whatever comes next.”
Gilbert wrapped up the post with the hashtags “#thatsshowbiz” and “#onwardandupward.” Hallmark later confirmed to Entertainment Weekly, “We can confirm that Melissa’s storyline on When Calls the Heart concluded in season 13. We adore Melissa and are always grateful when we get to work with her.”
Exit Comes As Timothy Busfield Faces Ongoing Legal Battle
Gilbert’s departure comes during a very difficult chapter in her personal life. Earlier this year, her husband, Timothy Busfield, inappropriately touched 11-year-old twin boys while working on the Fox series ‘The Cleaning Lady’. An arrest warrant was later issued, and Busfield turned himself in before pleading not guilty to all charges.
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According to court documents, one of the twin brothers alleged that Busfield rubbed his genitals and touched his buttocks while they were on set. Later that same month, another minor also accused Busfield of sexual assault.
In February, a grand jury indicted him on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor. Busfield has denied the allegations and filed a motion seeking dismissal of the indictment, arguing that prosecutors failed to present a fair and impartial case to the grand jury.
Gilbert has continued to stand beside her husband throughout the legal proceedings. She has attended court hearings and submitted letters supporting him as the case moves closer to trial.
During grand jury testimony in February, Busfield opened up about how the allegations have affected his life and career. According to testimony obtained by USA Today, he said, “My career is done. I’m canceled. I’ll never- I don’t- I’ll never work again just based on people’s fear that I would do this again and even if it wasn’t true, I’m done. I’ve lost TV shows, a movie they’ve digitally replaced me from. My agency fired me. This is not about me or a pity thing.”
Melissa Gilbert may be closing the chapter on Hope Valley, but plenty of questions still surround what’s next for both her career and her personal life.
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