Photo/Screencaps: Crown Media

It was really nice to kick back and enjoy a marathon of Hallmark summertime movies only to end my evening with a taste of Christmas! Network favorites Jill Wagner and Andrew Walker took over hosting duties for this year’s “Christmas: A Second Look” Preview Special, where they gave us an inside look at some of the movies and specials coming to Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama this holiday season with movie clips and behind the scenes footage.

The two stars also briefly discussed their upcoming Christmas movies, which we got a sneak peek at over the summer during the “Christmas: A First Look” special; Wagner will star in “Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses” alongside Matthew Davis, while Walker will co-lead “Merry and Bright” with Jodie Sweetin.

Hallmark plans to premiere 40 original movies this year; 24 on the Hallmark Channel network for the 10th Anniversary of Countdown to Christmas (premieres are every Saturday and Sunday at 8pm/7c) and 16 for Miracles of Christmas on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (every Thursday and Friday at 9pm/8c). Hallmark Drama will also air two new original reality programs, “Christmas Cookie Matchup” and “Project Christmas Joy”, which were previewed during the special.

“Home & Family” pet rescue expert Larissa Wohl made a guest appearance to talk about Hallmark Channel’s pet rescue initiative, “Adoption Ever After”, which I encourage you to learn more about.

Check out the lineup of movies and specials that were spotlighted during the special below!

Andrew Walker and Jill Wagner | Photo: Crown Media

If you tuned into the Christmas in July event on Hallmark this summer, you may have caught Lacey Chabert giving us a sneak peek at some of the movies coming to the network this holiday season. It was so nice to see what’s ahead, but Hallmark has over 40 movies planned so one sneak peek just isn’t enough — and that’s why Andrew Walker and Jill Wagner are set to host Hallmark Channel’s “Christmas: A Second Look” Preview Special next month!

In the special, Walker and Wagner will give us a first look at more of the new, original holiday movies premiering during Hallmark Channel’s upcoming Countdown to Christmas and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas programming events.

L-R: Chenoweth, Seeley and Rose. | Photos: Crown Media

What’s the holiday season without some carols?!

Many stars will bring their musical talents to the Hallmark networks for their respective festive movies, which are set to premiere during the 10th anniversary of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas as well as Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas programming.

“The right Christmas music is key to setting the mood for the holiday season so we couldn’t be more thrilled to feature original songs in our movie premieres this year,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming & Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks at the networks bi-annual Television Critics Summer Press Tour yesterday. “We’re fortunate to have so many new songs performed by such talented stars, so turn up the volume because this holiday season will be triumphant and bright on Hallmark.”

“A Christmas Love Story” (Hallmark Channel)
Tony®and Emmy®Award winner Kristin Chenoweth (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, “Pushing Daisies”) will lead the Hallmark Hall of Fame film “A Christmas Love Story”, in which she will star as a youth choir director who needs to write a big song for the Christmas Eve show but becomes distracted from that endeavor when Danny (Kevin Quinn, “Bunk’d”), a boy with a golden voice joins her choir, much to the surprise of his widowed father played by Scott Wolf (“The Night Shift,” “Party of Five”). Little does she know a life-changing, emotional surprise is in store for her moments before the show as she gets ready to take the stage and sing “When Angels Land” with Danny.

L-R: Wes Brown, Rachel Boston, Alicia Witt and Kristoffer Polaha. Credit: Crown Media

I have the biggest Christmas movie announcement yet for you today!

During Crown Media Family Networks’ bi-annual Television Critics Summer Press Tour, eleven new original movie titles were announced for Hallmark’s upcoming holiday programming slate, yes, you read that correctly — 11 new movies were revealed!

“Each year our holiday movie slates get bigger, the movies get better, and the ratings grow stronger and I have no doubt that this will prove to be the most successful season yet,” said Michelle Vicary, EVP, Programming & Network Publicity.

“We are so fortunate to work with such incredible talent –from the actors, to the writers, to the director and producers –who bring our signature holiday movies to life and have been instrumental in establishing Crown Media as the leader in compelling, top-quality holiday entertainment.”

Get the full scoop below of everything we new about these upcoming features. Expect to see many of your network favorites as well as a few fresh faces you’re sure to fall in love with.

Photo: Crown Media

Thanks to the recently released schedule for Hallmark Channel’s Christmas Keepsake Week, we know that we’ll be getting another “First Look Holiday Preview Special” that will premiere next month and, according to Hallmark’s website, it seems that it will, once again, be hosted by Lacey Chabert!

Chabert will give us a sneak peek at a few of the original movies that are set to premiere later this year during Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas holiday events. “Home & Family” pet rescue expert Larissa Wohl is also expected to make a special guest appearance on the show.

Make sure you tune into the “First Look Holiday Preview Special” on Saturday, July 13th at 10pm/9c.

Watch a preview of the special below!

Stay merry!

(left) Nikki DeLoach, (right) Michael Rady | Photos: Crown Media

In the need of something to keep those Monday Blues away?

ET reports Nikki DeLoach and Michael Rady are both starring in their fourth Hallmark holiday movie this Christmas! The two will co-lead Hallmark Channel‘s “Two Turtle Doves”, but this isn’t the first time they’ve worked together; they recently starred in the network’s “Love to the Rescue”.

In this new holiday feature, DeLoach will play Dr. Sharon Hayes as she searches for a beloved family heirloom in a small Christmas town. When she unexpectedly discovers an adorable little girl and her disheartened father (Rady), she realizes that Christmas miracles really do happen.

Photos: Melissa Claire Egan’s Official Twitter/Crown Media

This past February, Melissa Claire Egan posted a photo from the set of her new Christmas movie with co-star Marc Blucas. The two were working on “Holiday for Heroes” one of the films on the roster for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Miracles of Christmas holiday programming event later this year.

The two were huddled close among the snowy decorated set, but I was still able to clearly see that Egan was wearing a very familiar red coat! She’s wearing the Via Spiga Double Breasted Wool Skating Coat, which you may remember seeing on actress Jessica Lowndes in last year’s Hallmark film, “Christmas at Pemberley Manor”.

Photos Used: Crown Media

Last year Hallmark debuted a record-breaking 37 original movies during the holiday season, but they’re ready to top themselves in 2019!

Crown Media Family Networks announced that they will be premiering 40 brand new films between their Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries networks later this year to help spread the joy of the season. While Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will debut 16, the remaining 24 will be celebrated during the 10th anniversary of the Countdown to Christmas holiday programming event on Hallmark Channel – including “Holiday for Heroes” and an untitled Blake Shelton project.

There are also plans to premiere a new movie during Hallmark Channel’s Keepsake Christmas, the annual event during July to coincide with Hallmark’s Keepsake Ornament Premiere preview in stores.

So, I’m guessing one of those 24 films will be that movie — and my guess is that it will be the previously announced “The Christmas Song” starring Kristin Chenoweth and Scott Wolf or, perhaps, the tentatively titled “A Family Under The Christmas Tree” starring Merritt Patterson (“The Christmas Cottage”, “Christmas at the Palace”) and Jon Cor (“Love on Safari”).

— Updated 07/14/2019: This movie has officially been named “Picture a Perfect Christmas”! —

Deutschman (left) and Connell (right) | Photos: IMDb

It may be February, but it’s currently Christmas in Almonte, Ontario! According to Pembroke Today, Hallmark is taking advantage of the Canadian winter season to film an upcoming Christmas movie for their holiday lineup later this year.

While there’s no plot reveal just yet nor do we know which Hallmark network it will premiere on, “The Christmas Coach” is currently in production with “Christmas at Grand Valley” star Chad Connell and Erica Deutschman (“Shadowhunters”) in the starring roles.

— Updated 09/12/2019: This movie has officially been named “A Cheerful Christmas”! —

I know Christmas has been over for two months, but the fact that we’re already getting holiday movie news has me feeling like the season never left.

I’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available!

Stay merry!

Photos: Warner Bros. Nashville/Crown Media

I have more Christmas movie news, you guys! I feel so merry today!

Crown Media Family Networks has announced an exciting new deal with Country music superstar Blake Shelton. Last year, “Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas” premiered on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries network — a film based off of the book by Shelton’s mother Dorothy Shackleford, and inspired by a song from his 2012 holiday album Cheers, It’s Christmas.

The success of the movie has led to a development deal in which Shelton will serve as an executive producer of a new original movie. The all-new film will chronicle the emotional journey home at Christmastime and songs from Shelton’s library of Christmas music will be featured.

“The theme of making your way home at Christmastime to be with loved ones resonated with our viewers in the first film Blake Shelton produced for us,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming and Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks. “We’re excited to offer a brand-new, heartfelt story with compelling characters our audience will connect with.”

I can’t wait to learn more about this movie as the year goes on!

Stay merry!