When Calls the Heart's Erin Krakow is rooting for Lori Loughlin's return to Hope Valley sooner rather than later following her exit in 2019. When asked whether we've gotten "any closer" to seeing Loughlin's character, Abigail Stanton, back on the Hallmark Channel show, Krakow, 41, exclusively told Us Weekly, "I sure hope so." "I love Lori Loughlin, and I love the character she created, Abigail Stanton," Krakow, who plays lead character Elizabeth Thornton, said while promoting her latest Hallmark movie, Christmas Above the Clouds. The actress revealed that Loughlin rejoining the show is "something I've been hoping for for years and years." She added, "I'm very much a fan of hers and a friend of hers, so I really hope that it's happening." Lori Loughlin: I Had a 'Real Family' on Hallmark Show It's been six years since Loughlin's Abigail was on When Calls the Heart. Hallmark cut ties with the actress in March 2019 after she was arrested for her alleged part in the college admissions scandal. Loughlin and then-husband Mossimo Giannulli were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, as well as money laundering after allegedly paying for their daughters, Bella, 27, and Olivia Jade, 26, to be admitted to the University of Southern California as crew recruits. Loughlin and Giannulli, 62, pleaded guilty in May 2020 to charges of wire and mail fraud, and served two months and five months, respectively, in jail. (Us confirmed in October that Loughlin and Giannulli had separated after nearly 28 years of marriage.) In wake of the scandal, Loughlin was written off When Calls the Heart during season 6. Erin Krakow and Lori Loughlin in 'When Call the Heart'. Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter/courtesy Everett Collection During the May 2019 episode, Krakow's character, Elizabeth, told her fellow Hope Valley residents that Abigail (Loughlin) had to rush off to care for her sick mother. "Abigail is much more than a friend, she's family. I will miss her and Cody deeply - we all will, but we must get by as best we can," Elizabeth said. "In her absence, we must soldier on and we will. We are a community, we are strong, we are Hope Valley." In the years since Loughlin's prison release, fans and her former castmates have voiced a desire to have her come back to the show. In June 2024, both Krakow and Kevin McGarry, who plays Mountie Nathan Grant, exclusively told Us that they would welcome the actress back with open arms. Lori Loughlin Through the Years: 'Full House,' College Scandal and More "I think there's been lots of people that [have] said we'd love to have her back," McGarry, 40, told Us, explaining, "It's not our decision of course." Krakow said she would one "1,000 percent" like to see Loughlin rejoin the cast, adding, "She's an incredible person, a very dear friend. She's got a real good heart." Krakow shared, "People don't even know how special a person she is, and it would be wonderful to have her back in Hope Valley." While Loughlin's official return has not been confirmed, Hallmark has started to show her past movies on the network again. Inside Hallmark's 'When Calls the Heart' Cast's Love Lives: Who Is Married? In July 2022, Loughlin's Garage Sale Mysteries films were made available on the network's streaming service. Two years later, Hallmark rebranded its streamer as Hallmark+ and Loughlin's complete mystery collection lives on the site. As of this year, various Garage Sale Mysteries have also aired on Hallmark Channel. Krakow, meanwhile, will return for season 13 of When Calls the Heart sometime in 2026. Until then, fans can see her and Tyler Hynes in Christmas Above the Clouds, which premieres on Hallmark Channel Saturday, November 8, at 8 p.m. ET. "There's certainly no shortage of romance throughout this film," she told Us on Wednesday, November 5, of the rom-com. "I have a funny feeling that even by the end of this movie, even after multiple kisses and romantic scenes, there will still be a desire for more, because that's just the way our fans are, and that's why we love them."