Crown Media Jack
If you’re watching the Season 6 premiere of When Calls the Heart, then you might need a recap on what happened to one of the most beloved characters on the show, Jack Thornton. He’s no longer around, and Elizabeth is now raising their baby alone. But in this episode she doesn’t really talk about Jack that much, so that might leave fans wondering what happened to them or needing a refresher. Here’s what happened to Jack and what we know about why Daniel Lissing, who portrays him, left the show. First we will discuss why Lissing left, and next the story will recap exactly what happened to Jack.
Daniel Lissing Left for Personal Reasons During Contract Negotiations
Daniel Lissing chose to move on from the show while contracts were being renegotiated, which meant that Canadian Mountie Jack Thornton had to leave too, ET shared. The showrunners considered hiring a new actor to play Jack, but realized Elizabeth and Jack’s chemistry was just too good to replace Jack. They also thought about having Jack and Elizabeth break up, but that would be too out of character for them. Ultimately, the only solution was to let Jack die.
Lissing never said exactly why he left the show. He said he had to leave because of “reasons that are very personal to me.” He did not want to elaborate further, but said Hallmark was nothing but supportive. His full quote reads:
Circumstances arose for me where I needed to leave When Calls the Heart for reasons that are very personal to me. I went to Hallmark, and they were nothing but supportive of me. I went to the girls, and they were nothing but supportive of me.”
There were no hard feelings between Lissing and the cast. He even live-tweeted with members of the cast during the Season 5 finale.
We love you #hearties @erinkrakow @LoriLoughlin
Lori Loughlin said in a Facebook live discussion: “We are actors, and actors have contracts and sometimes contracts expire and you have a choice to make. You either renegotiate or you don’t, and Dan has chosen to move on, we respect that. No judgment. We love him; we wish him well. He’s still part of the Hallmark family.”
Lissing also seems to be on good terms with Hallmark, since he starred in Christmas in Love on November 11, 2018, after he left When Calls the Heart.
Lissing’s future is looking bright. He’s starred as Ty in a few episode of S.W.A.T., so he hasn’t given up acting. Perhaps he’s just seeking to expand his roles.
A Recap of What Happened to Jack Died
The second-to-last episode of Season 5 ended on a cliffhanger, with fans wondering if Jack had died. The finale let fans know right away the sad truth: yes, Jack was dead. Jack and Elizabeth had gotten married, much to fans’ delight after watching their love grow for five seasons. But then Jack was killed.
Jack had led a group of recruits through a mountain during a training assignment, when a landslide happened. He died a hero, pushing two men out of the way and sacrificing his life in order to save theirs. Throughout the finale, fans saw flashbacks of Jack. And in a letter that Jack wrote to Elizabeth in case he died, he said:
My dearest Elizabeth, I’m writing a letter I hope you never have to read. If you are, then you know I won’t be coming home. Take comfort that I will be watching over you for the rest of your days. I will always be with you in spirit. But I need you to promise me one thing, Elizabeth: you will open your heart to love again. Know that I want nothing more than your happiness. You are the perfect woman. You showed me what it feels like to be truly loved. For that, I am eternally grateful. Yours forever, Jack.”
This certainly left the door open for Elizabeth to find love again, one day. But for now, the love of her life is her newborn baby. In the Season 5 finale, Elizabeth realized she was pregnant with Jack’s baby. In the Christmas special, she gave birth to that baby, lovingly named Jack after his dad.
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