‘When Calls the Heart’: Hope Valley Welcomes a New Family in Season 8
Hope Valley is about to get a little bit bigger! A new family is moving to the small Canadian town that is the setting for Hallmark Channel’s hit series When Calls the Heart. The Canfields are a family of four who will be introduced in season 8, series star Erin Krakow revealed in a Sept. 1 Instagram post.
The ‘When Calls the Heart’ family is growing
Krakow, who plays schoolteacher Elizabeth Thornton, shared a photo of the newest When Calls the Heart cast members on her social media.
“I am THRILLED to welcome @vivleacock @natasha.burnett @viennajdleacock & #EliasLeacock to the @wcth_tv family! We can’t wait to share their stories with all of you in Season 8! #Hearties, say hello to the Canfield family!” she wrote.
Viv Leacock (who Hallmark fans will recognize from the Hailey Dean Mysteries) will play Joseph Canfield and Natasha Burnett will play his wife Minnie. Leacock’s real-life children Vienna and Elias Leacock will play Minnie and Joseph’s two kids, Angela and Cooper.
Meet the Canfields
Hallmark shared some additional details about the Canfield family with Entertainment Tonight.
Joseph Canfield moves his family to Hope Valley with the goal of buying the town’s gas station. His 12-year-old daughter Angela is visually impaired and a gifted piano player who has been homeschooled by Minnie. Minnie is very protective, and when Angela enrolls in Elizabeth’s class at school, she isn’t sure she trusts the other woman with her daughter’s education.
Hearties react to the casting news
Hearties were thrilled to learn that a new family would be moving to Hope Valley. Many were particularly excited that the next season of When Calls the Heart would feature a more diverse cast.
“I have been such a fan of WCTH from the beginning and have loved every story,” one commented on Krakow’s post. “But still, deep down, always yearned for the day I’d have the chance to hear stories from and encounter characters on this show that looked like me. This is truly amazing. So excited to watch the Canfield family this season.”
“This makes me so happy!” Krakow replied, adding in another comment that “the Canfield family will be very featured on [When Calls the Heart]! Multidimensional characters telling rich stories.”
‘When Calls the Heart’ Season 8 premieres in 2021
Hallmark hasn’t announced a premiere date for When Calls the Heart Season 8, but we do know new episodes should arrive sometime in 2021. The show is currently in production in Canada, with the cast and crew taking precautions to minimize the risk of COVID-19.
“We’re operating in pods, [meaning] teams of people generally in the same department, and will be working to avoid crossover between them as much as possible,” Krakow shared with ET. “We’re aiming to film scenes outdoors as much as possible. And yes, masks for everyone but the actors in scenes.”
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