A few days ago, news broke that Candice Cameron Bure had struck a new package deal. Hallmark has long since signed a non-exclusive deal with rival network GAC Family to create holiday content and more for the network. And while assuming at least one Christmas movie a year was likely part of that deal, we didn’t really know what all of its new network crises would entail. Now, however, GAC Family President Bill Abbott has revealed that the Thanksgiving event will definitely be a part of her contract next year.
Speaking before a presentation in advance for GAC Media, Bill Abbott (previously a senior manager at Hallmark Channel’s parent company Crown Media Family Networks) opened up about a variety of topics including what’s coming on the channel. Among the information listed, Bill Abbott referred to the upcoming “Thanksgiving programming event” when speaking with him Next TV.
The plan is for Bure to host said event, which makes perfect sense. At Hallmark, the star has often been a major face during the holiday season as host presenting plenty of holiday movies on that network as part of the main channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” roster.
And according to the interview, this Thanksgiving event will feature GAC’s family holiday movie slate. After the Thanksgiving programming event, the GAC family has direct plans to compete with Hallmark’s regular weekend schedule to roll out new original content. For example, GAC Family has plans starting on Black Friday through Cyber Monday weekend to roll out new originals on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. (Hallmark offers many of its originals, although not all Saturdays and Sundays.)
Speaking of the holiday slate, which falls during the sought-after fourth quarter in the US and should directly rival Hallmark’s Christmas classics, Bill Abbott seems optimistic about what’s to come in the remainder of 2022. In fact, he said the network has “a lot.” More time to prepare ‘this holiday.
We definitely sell family friendly content and high quality original movies with a talent that people love and resonate with viewers. We’ve had a lot of time preparing, marketing and doing all the things needed to attract a much larger audience. We feel really good about what we’ll be like in the fourth quarter.
Not to mention that Grid had brought in a lot of additional talent. Since its launch last October, the GAC family has been persuading talent to join and build a roster, many of them people Abbott worked with at Hallmark, for GAC Media. This includes Major names leaving the Hallmark Network, as Danica McKellar and Jane Lilly. Candice Cameron Bure has a new deal of her own. Other talents have worked on both networks in recent months.
We’ll have to wait and see how next year goes, but in an announcement post, Puri spoke fondly about the new GAC family deal And she seemed “excited” to start, though there are still details about everything she’ll do to be revealed. Hallmark’s current and former friends also responded with support.
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