Melissa Gilbert to Guest Star, Character Details

Hearties, it sounds like we’re about to learn more about one of the residents of Hope Valley when When Calls the Heart returns for Season 12.

Melissa Gilbert is set to guest star in two episodes of the long-running series, Hallmark Channel announced at the show’s annual Hearties Family Reunion in Vancouver, BC on Saturday, September. The Little House of the Prairie vet will appear in two episodes as Georgie McGill, who shares a surprising past with one special Hope Valley resident.

The guest spot came about after WCTH executive producer Michael Landon Jr. connected with Gilbert at the Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion and Festival held in March this year; his father, Michael Landon, was a star, executive producer, writer, and director of Little House on the Prairie.

“When Calls the Heart has long drawn comparisons to Little House on the Prairie, for its charming and compelling stories of hope, human connection and frontier survival,” said Kelly Garrett, VP, Programming, Hallmark Media, in a statement. “It was only fitting that the first people to hear this special news were the Hearties – devoted fans who have celebrated the show year after year and made it such a success. The energy being here with them to share this news is electric and we cannot wait for them to meet Georgie next year.”

When Calls the Heart ended its 11th season in June with a shocking cliffhanger. Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and Nathan (Kevin McGarry) have finally gotten together, but in the last scene of the finale, Superintendent Hargraves (David Lewis) interrupted them to talk to her in private—about her late husband!

Elizabeth’s “first and foremost [in] shock, but she turns to the person that she loves and trusts most in that moment to share that emotion because who could have predicted that Hargraves would be coming to talk to her about that at all, but about that?” Krakow told TV Insider of that moment.

“I hope they’re able to deal with that news and move forward,” McGarry added.

What do you think of Gilbert’s casting? What are your theories about her character? Let us know in the comments section, below.

When Calls the Heart, Season 12 Premiere, TBA, Hallmark Channel