Attention, Hearties! Here's What You Need to Know About When Calls the Heart Season 8

Author:
K.L. Connie Wang
Apr 15, 2021

For a while we were a bit worried about when we'd get to head back to Hope Valley, but Hallmark Channel's most popular series, When Calls the Heart is finally back! Whew!

For those new to the series, When Calls the Heart follows the lives of folks in the small town of Hope Valley and more specifically, Elizabeth Thornton (Erin Krakow), a teacher in the town.

Hailing from a wealthy family in the city, Elizabeth takes her own journey when she accepts a teaching position in Coal Valley (the town is later renamed Hope Valley). She dislikes Mountie Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) upon their first encounters but soon falls in love with him. They later marry but (*spoiler alert) Jack dies in a tragic training accident. Elizabeth finds out she's pregnant not long after learning of her husband's death and gives birth to a baby boy, whom she names Jack.

Fast forward a year or two and Elizabeth is adjusting to life as a single parent to baby Jack. Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry), a new Mountie, has been assigned to Hope Valley and businessman Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) arrives in town to take over the saloon. Both of these men have an eye for Elizabeth and go about wooing her in their own unique ways.

Die-hard fans, known as Hearties, rally behind the show every chance they get. The show often trends on Twitter when new episodes air and there's even a fan convention, known as the Hearties Family Reunion, which typically takes place in Vancouver each summer when the show is in production. The surge in coronavirus cases and Canada's travel restrictions prevented a convention in 2020, but we're sure fans will be ready to gather in 2021.

Another casualty of the coronavirus pandemic is the beloved When Calls the Heart Christmas special. Part of Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas, the special typically premieres on Christmas Day and the kicks off the upcoming season. Even though we won't get a Christmas special this year, fans will get two extra episodes in season 8.

Are you ready to head back to Hope Valley? Here's everything we know so far about season 8 of When Calls the Heart.

When will When Calls the Heart season 8 premiere?

While we were definitely bummed that there was no When Calls the Heart Christmas movie in 2020, we were excited to learn the premiere date for the new season! Season 8 of When Calls the Heart will premiered Sunday, Feb. 21 on Hallmark Channel.

Fun fact:TheWhenCallstheHeart Christmas movies film in the summer months. Since there’s no snow, the production uses fish ice to simulate the wintery weather.

When was season 8 of When Calls the Heart filmed?

The cast and crew of When Calls the Heart filmed for 78 days—from July 27-Nov. 17. The U.S. cast members were required to arrive in Canada two weeks early for a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine period.

Just a couple weeks into filming, Pascal Hutton shared this snap with Kavan Smith on the set of When Calls the Heart. Her caption simply read: "We're back." But that was enough to get our hearts racing.

What is the storyline for When Calls the Heart season 8?

Lee and Rosemary Coulter are still yearning to start a family but have to deal with trials and tribulations along the way. Of course, the love triangle that is #ElLuNa (Lucas-Nathan-Elizabeth) continues. Will Elizabeth finally make a choice between her two suitors?

We'll likely see more of the newlyweds, Jesse and Clara, as they embark on their new life together. Hopefully, we'll see romance blossom between Kevin, the blacksmith, and Fiona as well as whatever new career path Fiona chooses now that she is unemployed. She was fired from her job as a telephone operator in season 7.

Will Henry finally get a chance at love this season? Will the other singletons in Hope Valley—Ned, Mike, Molly and Florence—get their chance to find love too?

Gracyn Shinyei, one of the youngest actors in the cast, shared this tweet hinting at "great twists and surprises" coming in season 8. And let us tell you, we can't wait! Keep your eye on this page for updates as we find out more about the new season!

Is there a When Calls the Heart season 8 sneak peek?

Yes! In lieu of a new Christmas special for 2020 (thanks, COVID!), the Hallmark Channel re-aired the 2019 special When Calls the Heart: Home for Christmas on Christmas Day. Erin Krakow gave fans a head's up that they would get to see a never-before-seen clip from the upcoming season 8 during the broadcast. Watch the season 8 sneak peek clip below.

Where is When Calls the Heart filmed?

WhenCallstheHeart is filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadian town is also the location of the Hearties Family Reunion, an annual convention where hundreds of #Hearties gather each year to celebrate their favorite Hallmark series. Not only do they get to meet the cast and crew they also get the opportunity to visit the Jamestown Movie Set (built on the family-owned MacInnes Farm) where the show is filmed.

Fun fact:The sets that have two levels (row house, guest rooms in the saloon, etc.) don’t actually have room upstairs to film so those spaces are created elsewhere.

What is the When Calls the Heart spinoff series?

The popular series has also spawned its own original spinoff, When Hope Calls which can be streamed on Hallmark Movies Now. The new series follows Lillian (Morgan Kohan) and Grace (Jocelyn Hudon), two sisters who were separated as children after the death of their parents. Lillian was adopted soon after they were orphaned while Grace remained in the foster care system until she aged out. The two reunite as adults and open an orphanage of their own.

Is When Calls the Heart on Netflix?

When Calls the Heart will be left Netflix on Jan. 25, 2021. The show is available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon.

**Where to stream seasons 1-7 of When Calls the Heart?**

All seasons of When Calls the Heart will be available to stream on Hallmark Movies Now beginning Jan. 1, 2021. Season 7 will be exclusively available on HMN in the U.S.

What time does When Calls the Heart come on?

When Calls the Heart airs at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday nights.

Who’s in the cast for When Calls the Heart season 8?

With all the changes to the When Calls the Heart cast in the last few seasons, we're excited to see that most of our favorites are returning for season 8. Plus, a new family that will help diversify the cast.

Erin Krakow (Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton)

Elizabeth continues to navigate single parenthood to Baby Jack (played by twins Lincoln and Gunnar Taylor) after her husband’s tragic death. Aside from what cute outfit Baby Jack will be wearing, her biggest dilemma is which suitor she will choose—Lucas or Nathan.

Fun fact: Baby Jack’s nursery was built in what is now Gowen Petroleum.

Kevin McGarry (Nathan Grant)

Hope Valley's Mountie, Nathan Grant has charge of his niece, Allie (Jaeda Lily Miller), who is a precocious tween ready to stir up trouble. He’s been awkward making his feelings know this past season, and he's clearly attracted to Elizabeth, but will she take her chance on another Mountie?