Why Mark Humphrey, aka Pastor Frank, Left ‘When Calls the Heart’


Crown Media

Mark Humphrey on When Calls the Heart

Quite a few characters have mysteriously left the cast of When Calls the Heart over the years. One of the characters that some Hallmark viewers still miss to this day is Pastor Frank Hogan, portrayed by Mark Humphrey. Humphrey has said that while he would have loved to continue on the show, his character was not asked to return.


Humphrey Said He Loved His Time on ‘When Calls the Heart’ & Left on Good Terms

Pastor Frank Hogan was an intriguing character on When Calls the Heart. When he joined, he was quite mysterious and very interested in Abigail, portrayed by Lori Loughlin. He appeared in two episodes in Season 5, including officiating Jack and Elizabeth’s wedding. But those were his characters’ only appearances that season, and he hasn’t been seen since.

After the college scandal was reported, Loughlin was removed from the show in Season 6, leaving fans with little hope that they’d see Pastor Frank again.

Humphrey said in an interview with My Devotional Thoughts that he really enjoyed being on the show and would have loved to return. He said returning for two episodes in Season 5 was a nice surprise since he had originally anticipated not returning for Season 5 at all. In fact, he had tweeted to fans that he didn’t think he was coming back, and fans were despondent about that.

Humphrey said:

I am very happy I got to come back. I really do enjoy the camaraderie of the cast and crew. I’ve had the opportunity to bond with some of them. I understand I am a supporting cast member, so Pastor Frank’s storylines don’t always get as much attention, but I’m happy to have made the connections that I have with the cast, crew, and Hearties. In my working routine, I always do my best to lead with love, and I believe that policy has served me well. I always try to focus on how I can be of service to someone else so that the focus is off of me. I always try to keep the right perspective in this business, and even though it’s time for Pastor Frank to leave, I am leaving on good terms.

He added that sometimes “these things happen” in terms of not returning, but he loved working on the show.

He told My Devotional Thoughts: “I really loved my time on the show. Shooting on that location was wonderful, and any time I got to jump on a horse was just great. I will always appreciate my time with the other actors, and getting to know the other guys was such a blast.”


He Had Hoped that Pastor Frank Could Grow His Relationship with Abigail

Humphrey had some ideas for his character’s future with Loughlin’s Abigail, before she was let go from the show. He told My Devotional Thoughts:

Frank being in love was one of the most wonderful feelings in the world, and had we gotten to examine our relationship more, I was prepared to go deeper. I had plans for Frank to be more demonstrative in the future and play it that way more this season if I had the chance. I planned to really take care of Abigail more this season and show her bolder affection. It was time for Frank to stop holding back. Even though it’s not to be at this time, I am glad I had the opportunity to play Frank for three seasons.


He Said He Was Open to Returning to the Show

Humphrey would certainly be open to bringing his character back to the show, he told My Devotional Thoughts.

“And maybe they will ask me back if there’s a season six,” he said at the time. “I certainly would love that.”

Fans who miss Abigail have come up with some creative in-universe theories about what happened to her character and why she left Hope Valley. One of those theories revolves around Pastor Frank. One fan suggested that maybe Abigail left to follow Pastor Frank to his new town and pursue a relationship with him there, Good Housekeeping reported.

Since his time on When Calls the Heart, Humphrey has starred on Christmas Bells Are Ringing, The Killer in the Guest House, Take Two, and The Great Lakusta. 

Hallmark’s Schedule of New Movies for February 2021



Speak Your Mind

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Get in Touch

350FansLike
100FollowersFollow
281FollowersFollow
150FollowersFollow

Recommend for You

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Subscribe and receive our weekly newsletter packed with awesome articles that really matters to you!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

You might also like

Soumitra Chatterjee’s Health Shows Marginal Improvement But Condition Remains...

Veteran Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee (85) – who is under treatment for almost 22...

Flashback: ‘NSync Sing About the Joys of Cybersex on...

Boy bands have always known their way around a good double entendre (see Backstreet...

Naagin 5: Dheeraj Dhoopar to Temporarily Replace Sharad Malhotra?

After Sharad Malhotra, who plays the role of Veer in Ekta Kapoor's Naagin 5,...

‘The Bachelorette’ Recap: Two-on-One Resolves and a Former Contestant...

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched the Dec. 8 episode...