When Calls the Heart said goodbye to a beloved character during Sunday’s explosive Season 11 premiere, but is it really the end of the line for them?
As viewers checked back in with the residents of Hope Valley, Fiona (Kayla Wallace) sent a telegram revealing that she won’t be returning to town.
Fiona is spearheading an effort to help secure women’s rights and believes she can continue her work away from town.
But why did Wallace walk away from the hit show?
Series star and EP Erin Krakow revealed on When Calls the Heart aftershow, Heart Beats, that it all came down to scheduling as Wallace is set to star in Taylor Sheridan’s Landman.
“We love Kayla Wallace. We would love for her to be in every episode,” Krakow shared.
Could Kayla Wallace return to When Calls the Heart?
“Kayla had a really incredible opportunity on another TV series that films out of town,” the star and EP shared.
Krakow isn’t ruling out a return for Wallace down the line.
“We are hoping that we’ll be able to have Fiona back for some episodes,” she dished.
“Who knows? But yeah, we are truly, truly over the moon thrilled for Kayla.”
News of Wallace’s departure was kept under wraps until transmission, which is surprising.
Far too often, casting news spills out before it plays out on-screen, so it was nice to tune into the episode to learn about the exit.
Fiona’s story is far from over
The good news is that Fiona’s story is far from over, so there’s always the possibility that she will appear in the future.
If Wallace is unavailable to return, we could hear updates about Fiona as the series progresses because it seems like When Calls the Heart will continue for years to come.
Despite some big creative swings, Hearties still tune in weekly in droves because they connect with the characters and storylines.
Sunday’s season premiere picked up in the aftermath of a shocking attempt on a beloved character’s life.
Lucas (Chris McNally) was brutally gunned down at the end of When Calls the Heart Season 10, and fans tuned in as Elizabeth (Krakow) reacted by rushing to be by his side as he was rushed into surgery.
When Calls the Heart Season 11 has a lot of Lucas drama
It was emotional and shocking and set the stage for the season, including Elizabeth’s new look and romance with Nathan (Kevin McGarry).
As we look ahead, Lucas will get a blast from the past that will leave him questioning everything.
Beyond that, all we can do is tune in to get answers to our most burning questions.
When Calls the Heart airs Sundays at 8/7c on Hallmark.