Why Cameron Mathison Really Left The Hallmark Channel

Soap star Cameron Mathison is the latest actor to kick the Hallmark Channel to the curb, as the network wars with Great American Family for ratings within the wholesome, family-friendly television market. Until 2023, Mathison, one of the many stars who turned to Hallmark to revitalize their careers, was a network regular who'd appeared in over a dozen movies. And while Mathison's Hallmark catalog is too lengthy to recount in full, his resume includes "Holidaze," "The Murder, She Baked" franchise, and his last Hallmark project, "A Zest For Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery." Mathison also co-hosted Hallmark's daytime show, "Home & Family," from 2018 until the show's cancellation in 2021. 

Like most former Hallmark stars, Mathison once sang the network's praises. However, Mathison left fans stumped when he followed Danica McKellar's cue and left Hallmark amid a mass exodus of talent from the network. According to Deadline, Mathison signed a contract with Great American Media — Great American Family's umbrella company — for a "multi-picture deal" in November. "Having collaborated with Cameron on many past projects, I am thrilled to welcome him home to Great American Media and look forward to working with him on content that our viewers will love for years to come," said Great American Family's CEO, Bill Abbott.

Given Mathison's long run, you may be wondering why he left Hallmark — and the actor says it all has to do with the stories. 

Cameron Mathison hasn't resorted to trashing Hallmark's content, but he seems excited to embrace Great American Media's game plan for storytelling. "It is very important to me to create well-crafted, beautiful stories," Mathison told Deadline. "I am grateful to be back at Great American Media and to collaborate with some of the best creative teams in entertainment to make heartwarming content everyone can enjoy." Although Mathison didn't connect his interest in Great American Family's content to religious or personal affiliations, he's certainly in good company. Many of his fellow former Hallmark stars, such as Candace Cameron Bure, also sought out different stories, for one reason or another.

Mathison spoke more about his fondness for his new network home during the 2024 Movieguide Awards red carpet. "There's a lot of really fun things to celebrate," said Mathison of the event. "I think that these awards get to emphasize really family-friendly ... upbeat content." Mathison also gave fans a sneak peek at the kinds of films he's been working on. "The movies I do at Great American are very in line with how I like to live," shared Mathison with Movieguide in March. "I love to spread positivity and kindness and love and compassion, and, you know, it makes my life meaningful. And when we get to weave that into our films, that's what it's all about," he added.

Cameron Mathison signed his deal with Hallmark's competitor a few months after the premiere of "A Zest For Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery," one of several Hallmark Mysteries inspired by a book series from author Joanne Fluke. Unfortunately for fans, "A Zest For Death" is Mathison's last contribution to the series, where he starred as Mark Kingston. The network has reportedly hired actor Victor Webster to star in the next film, titled "One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery."

Allison Sweeney, who headed up the Hannah Swensen franchise with Mathison, spoke about Webster's addition to the series, where he'll take on the role of a new character named Chad Norton. "Joanne Fluke has written 30 novels about Hannah, and Hannah has several men in her life that come and go over the years," shared Sweeney with First For Women. "So it felt very honest to bring in this character Victor is going to play. He's in the prosecutor's office, and he has high expectations. It just ups the stakes for Hannah."

During a press tour for TCA, Webster, who previously starred alongside Sweeney on "Days of Our Lives," shared a little about their characters' possible romantic arc. "It's not necessarily, you know, a connection at first," Webster shared (via People). "But [Hannah Swensen] weasels her way in [to helping solve the mystery] and we start having a connection. And she tries to butter me up with all kinds of tasty treats. And so by the end of the movie, you're seeing something interesting blossoming."