Entertainment TV Lori Loughlin Returns to Acting in First Role Since College Admissions Scandal — See a Sneak Peek Lori Loughlin will star in the two-part season two premiere of When Hope Calls, a spinoff of the Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Instagram Twitter Nicholas Rice is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. Nicholas has previous work experience with Billboard, POPSUGAR, Bustle and Elite Daily. When not working, Nicholas can be found playing with his 5 dogs, listening to pop music or eating mozzarella sticks. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 24, 2021 11:19 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Lori Loughlin is making her return to the small screen just in time for the holiday season. On Friday, GAC Family released a first look at Loughlin's acting comeback with a sneak peek of her starring role in the two-part season two premiere of When Hope Calls, a spinoff of the Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart. Titled "A Country Christmas, Part 1" and "A Country Christmas, Part 2," the episodes will premiere Dec. 18 on GAC Family, formerly Great American Country, and see Loughlin, 57, reprise her role of Abigail Stanton. The Full House alum previously starred on the Hallmark Channel's When Calls the Heart's first six seasons, but following her arrest in 2019, she was written out of the show. Olivia Jade Giannulli Says Mom Lori Loughlin Has Been a 'Huge Support' as She Joins DWTS Cast At the time, Hallmark said in a statement that it was "no longer working with Lori Loughlin and have stopped development of all productions that air on the Crown Media Family Network channels involving Lori Loughlin, including Garage Sale Mysteries, an independent third party production." Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Loughlin's role on the series marks her first time acting again after she and husband Mossimo Giannulli were both arrested in March 2019 for their involvement in the college admissions scandal organized by Rick Singer. The longtime couple pleaded guilty in May 2020 to paying $500,000 to falsely designate daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli, 22, and Isabella Rose Giannulli, 23, as recruits to the University of Southern California crew team, even though neither ever participated in the sport. Lori Loughlin Books First Acting Role Following Jail Time for College Admissions Scandal Loughlin received two months in jail, a $150,000 fine, and 150 hours of community service, while Giannulli, 58, was sentenced to five months in jail, a $250,000 fine, and 250 hours of community service. Loughlin started her prison sentence in October of 2020 and served nearly two months before she was released from the federal correctional facility in Dublin, California, in December. Giannulli, meanwhile, was booked into federal prison on Nov. 19 and was released from home confinement in May 2021, marking the end of his five-month sentence. When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas premieres Dec. 18 on GAC Family.