Nikki DeLoach is joining the list of actors who have shared their opinion on Hallmark network's programming following Candace Cameron Bure's November comments about her exit from the channel. In a recent interview with Christy Carlson Romano on her Vulnerable podcast, DeLoach praised the network for continuing to tell "inclusive and dynamic" stories.
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"We are telling deeper, richer [and] bigger stories. [They are] inclusive and dynamic," DeLoach says. "And the way Hallmark thinks about it now — the mindset that's happening at our network — is our audience is very diverse actually."
DeLoach didn't respond directly to Bure's comments, but she expanded more on Hallmark's "diverse" audience, saying the channel offers something unique for each person who tunes into its programming.
"Some of the same people that watch Hallmark also watched Game of Thrones or Succession. And then yes there's a large unit of the audience that watches Fox News and then watches Hallmark. But it is diverse," she says. "So, the way that they are looking at it now is we want to give something for everyone. We want everybody to see themselves in at least one or handfuls of our movies. I love that."
DeLoach joins other actors, including Lacey Chabert, Hilarie Burton, Neal Bledsoe and Danica McKellar, who have either responded to Bure's comments directly or commented on the nature of Hallmark's programming. Bure's original statements pointed to the reason she exited Hallmark for her new gig at Great American Family. She shared that the change stemmed from her desire to "tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them," adding that Great American Family's programming will "promote faith programming and good family entertainment." She also touched on Hallmark's LGBTQ+ programming, saying that Great American Family, "will keep traditional marriage at the core."
The statements resulted in fiery responses from some, including Burton, who said Bure and Great American Family are "openly admitting their bigotry." The comments also resulted in Great American Family actor Neal Bledsoe's exit from the network, citing his support for the LGBTQ+ community and his disappointment in Bure's statements.
"I could never forgive myself for continuing my relationship with a network that actively chooses to exclude the LGBTQIA+ community," he said in a statement to Variety.
DeLoach has starred in a total of 14 Hallmark films since 2015. This winter, she signed a new deal with the network, and in a post celebrating the move, she again praised the channel.
"Here at the Hallmark Channel we truly believe that everyone deserves a love story," she wrote.
