#FIRSTLOOK: “HOPE VALLEY” PREQUEL SERIES TO “WHEN CALLS THE HEART” COMING TO W NETWORK

Hope Valley: 1874, the new prequel series to the beloved When Calls the Heart, will premiere Sunday, March 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on W Network and available to stream on STACKTV.The eight-episode series filmed in Vancouver, B.C. takes place in 1874 and explores the early days of the settlement that later becomes Hope Valley.

Hope Valley: 1874 stars Bethany Joy Lenz ( A Biltmore Christmas), Canadian Benjamin Ayres ( The Santa Class), Canadian Jill Hennessy ( City on a Hill), Canadian Roan Curtis ( Firefly Lane) and Lachlan Quarmby ( Providence Falls). Joining the ensemble cast are Canadians Jedidiah Goodacre ( Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as Clayton Cooley, a ruggedly handsome blacksmith, and Chelsea Hobbs ( Deck the Halls on Cherry Lane) as Peggy McCabe, the wife of Tom’s (Ayres) foreman Nash as portrayed by Brad Abramenko ( A Splash of Love).

The series explores the earliest days of the frontier settlement that later became Hope Valley, chronicling the courage, resilience and relationships that laid the foundation for the close-knit town viewers have come to love. Lenz portrays Rebecca Clarke, who travels from her home city of Chicago to the Western Canadian frontier with her 11-year-old-daughter Sarah (Mila Morgan, The Holiday Sitter). But when her wagon breaks down, and she realizes the boardinghouse is not as advertised, Rebecca has no choice but to accept help from local rancher and confirmed bachelor, Tom Moore (Ayres). Despite her best intentions to remain unattached, Bella can’t help but slowly fall for Tom and develop a friendship with tenacious pioneer woman Hattie Quinn (Hennessy). Hattie’s daughter Olivia (Curtis) helps run their trading post and catches the eye of Constable Alexander Vaughn (Quarmby), much to the dismay of Clayton (Goodacre), who harbours feelings for her.

Hope Valley: 1874 is from All Canadian Entertainment production company. Executive producers of the series include Brad Krevoy, Brian Bird, Michael Landon Jr., Amy Hartwick, Olivia Krevoy, Vicki Sotheran, Greg Malcolm, Alfonso Moreno and Susie Belzberg. Mike Rohl and Elizabeth Stewart are co-executive producers, and Jennifer Siddle and Melody Fox serve as consulting producers.

Hope Valley: 1874, When Calls the Heart and W Network’s hit series can be streamed via STACKTV, available on Amazon Prime Video, Bell Fibe TV app, Fubo, Rogers Ignite TV and Ignite Streaming. Showcase is also available through all major TV distributors, including: Shaw, Shaw Direct, Rogers, Bell, Videotron, Telus, Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel.