Candace Cameron Bure opened up about her decision to join the faith-focused cable channel Great American Family.
The 46-year-old “Full House” alum, who announced her departure from Hallmark earlier this year, told the Wall Street Journal in a new interview that the move was prompted by her desire to tell stories with “more meaning and purpose and depth behind them.”
“I knew that the people behind Great American Family were Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good family entertainment,” she explained.
She added that Hallmark “basically is a completely different network” due to leadership changes.
Great American Family — formerly known as GAC Family — is owned by former Crown Media CEO Bill Abbott and Hicks Equity Partners.
Abbott, who has worked with Bure for 15 years and previously served as chief executive at Hallmark, drew scrutiny back in 2019 for the channel’s decision to avoid airing a commercial from wedding-planning website Zola that featured a same-sex couple kissing, prompting #BoycottHallmark to trend on Twitter. Hallmark later apologized for the decision and reinstated the ad.
Hallmark, which didn’t return TheWrap’s request for comment, told the Journal that it wants “all viewers to see themselves in our programming” and that “everyone is welcome.”
Abbott, who departed Hallmark shortly after the incident, told the Journal that he left for a new challenge and that the timing was simply coincidental.
Earlier this year, Hallmark Channel released its first Holiday movie with an LGBTQ couple as the leads. When asked about whether she expects Great American Family to feature same-sex couples as leads in its holiday programming, Bure said she thinks the channel will “keep traditional marriage at the core.”
Bure is currently filming a new holiday movie entitled “A Christmas… Present”. She also serves as Great American Family’s chief creative officer, producing religious programming under “Candace Cameron Bure Presents.”
In addition to Bure, Great American Family has hired other Hallmark stars, including Danica McKellar and Lori Loughlin.
