The season 13 finale of When Calls the Heart aired on March 22 on Hallmark.
The episode had longtime fans concerned that Lucas Bouchard (played by Chris McNally) would be leaving When Calls the Heart ahead of season 14.
Chris previously spoke about his feelings around the Hallmark drama in a January 2026 interview with Good Housekeeping.
It’s only been a week since the season finale of When Calls the Heart aired, and it’s leaving us with more questions than answers!
During the season, Elizabeth Thornton (Erin Krakow) and Nathan Grant (Kevin McGarry) finally got engaged, and viewers saw Lucas Bouchard (Chris McNally) and Edie Martell (Miranda MacDougall) define their relationship and seal it with a kiss.
But at the end of WCTH season 13, Edie accepted a job that would send her to New York, leading Lucas to question his personal goals. After taking a bit to gather his thoughts about his future, he announced to everyone in Hope Valley that he planned on stepping down as the territory’s governor (which he had been serving as for the past three seasons on When Calls the Heart).
It leaves room for him to move away from Hope Valley with Edie … and possibly leave the show ahead of season 14.
Given how Lucas—and subsequently, Chris—has been a staple since he first appeared on the show in season 6, we have to wonder: Is Lucas leaving When Calls the Heart?
Presently, neither Chris nor Hallmark has made any remarks about him possibly leaving When Calls the Heart ahead of season 14. But as Chris shared in an exclusive interview with Good Housekeeping back in January 2026, he appreciates being part of a show with such longevity.
“The longevity of a show like When Calls the Heart is so rare,” he said to us at the time. “The show has kind of become a part of me, and I think it shows that Hallmark has one of the most loyal fan bases out there. They really care about When Calls the Heart and continue to show up and invest their time to watch these characters.”
Additionally, Chris knows that fans will always love him and the role he plays on When Calls the Heart. In fact, he said it’s one of the best parts about being on a long-running television series.
“I also enjoy attending events where you see everybody and get to know how passionate they are that they're willing to travel from all over to meet you,” he added. “It's definitely a blessing, that's for sure.”
Even though we don’t know what Chris’ future will be on When Calls the Heart, we can only hope that Lucas’ time in Hope Valley will be a forever thing.
