The Hallmark Channel brings to mind holidays, happy endings and now, incongruously, a college admissions scam that involves one of the channel鈥檚 favoured actresses.

Lori Loughlin鈥檚 surprising arrest this week poses a challenge for the family-friendly brand with heartland roots.

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The allegation that Loughlin paid bribes to gain her daughters鈥� college admissions is unconnected to Hallmark, but her career and the channel have become intertwined. She鈥檚 among its so-called 鈥淐hristmas queens鈥� who topline a slate of popular holiday movies, and stars in the ongoing 鈥淕arage Sale Mysteries鈥� movies and the series 鈥淲hen Calls the Heart.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 a feel-good, family values-type channel, and obviously scandal is the opposite of that,鈥� said Atlanta-based market strategist Laura Ries. 鈥淲ill people get past that to love the character on screen and not the real person?鈥�

While Hallmark has taken a wait-and-see attitude on Loughlin, there鈥檚 more at issue than whether her appeal survives. 鈥淲hen Calls the Heart鈥� tapes in Canada, and a judge ordered Loughlin鈥檚 passport to be surrendered in December after grudgingly allowing her to cross the border for work until then.

Loughlin has not yet entered a plea in the case, and her attorney declined comment Wednesday after her first appearance in a Los Angeles federal court.

The actress also reprised her role as Aunt Becky for Netflix鈥檚 鈥淔uller House鈥� reboot of the popular series that originated in 1987 on ABC. But the sitcom represents a fraction of the streamer鈥檚 flood of programs, while Loughlin has occupied an increasing amount of Hallmark real estate since she starred in 鈥淢eet My Mom鈥� in 2010.

Initially silent when the allegations were announced, Hallmark issued a statement Wednesday, the day Loughlin surrendered to authorities: 鈥淲e are aware of the situation and are monitoring developments as they arise.鈥�

The Associated Press

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