Candace Cameron Bure Addresses Backlash Over Christian Holiday Films Comments

Getty LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 16: Actress Candace Cameron-Bure attends the premiere of Netflix's 'Fuller House' at Pacific Theatres at The Grove on February 16, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

“Fuller House” actress and “Dancing With the Stars” finalist Candace Cameron Bure gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal discussing her recent move from being a staple of Hallmark Channel programming to Great American Family, a channel that is starting to ramp up its holiday programming in a space Hallmark and Lifetime have dominated for years.

In the interview, Bure said that her big reason for the move was that GAC is putting an emphasis on Christianity in its programming.

But when asked if GAC would follow in Hallmark’s footsteps by featuring LGBTQIA+ characters, Bure said no.

“We’re really here to spread joy and to spread love and happy, good feelings,” she said of GAC’s mission for their films, adding, “I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core” of its holiday movies.

Great American Media chief executive Bill Abbott, who was previously an executive at Hallmark’s parent company Crown Media, gave an answer that was more vague, saying that they are “aware of the trends” today and that “there’s no whiteboard that says, ‘Yes, this’ or ‘No, we’ll never go here.’”

Bure’s comments were met with criticism from both fans and fellow celebrities alike, including Hallmark star Hilarie Burton and “Dancing With the Stars” runner-up JoJo Siwa, who came out in 2021 as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Bure has now issued a statement to Heavy about the response to her comments.

Bure Says That She Loves All People ‘Fiercely & Indiscriminately’

In the statement, Bure started off by saying that she did not mean to offend or hurt anyone and that as a Christian, she is “called to love all people” and she does so “fiercely and indiscriminately.”

The first part of the statement reads in its entirety:

I would like to address my comments on Great American Family’s programming as reported in The Wall Street Journal. All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people. It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone. It saddens me that the media is often seeking to divide us, even around a subject as comforting and merry as Christmas movies. But, given the toxic climate in our culture right now, I shouldn’t be surprised. We need Christmas more than ever.

I am a devoted Christian. Which means that I believe that every human being bears the image of God. Because of that, I am called to love all people, and I do. If you know me, you know that I am a person who loves fiercely and indiscriminately. My heart yearns to build bridges and bring people one step closer to God, to love others well, and to simply be a reflection of God’s huge love for all of us.

She continues by saying that she has nothing but love for everyone, including people who are “attacking [her] online.”

“To the members of the media responsible for using this opportunity to fan flames of conflict and hate, I have a simple message: I love you anyway. To those who hate what I value and who are attacking me online: I love you. To those who have tried to assassinate my character: I love you. To everyone reading this, of any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling, I love you,” writes the “Fuller House” star.

Bure Also Said That Some of Her Interview Was Not Included in the Published Wall Street Journal Article

In the second part of her statement, Bure said that while she is passionate about Christian programming, she loves that people of “all ethnicities and identities” are contributing to GAC. She also said that that part of her interview was left out of the finished product.

The second part of the statement reads:

I have long wanted to find a home for more faith-based programming. I am grateful to be an integral part of a young and growing network. I had also expressed in my interview, which was not included, that people of all ethnicities and identities have and will continue to contribute to the network in great ways both in front of and behind the camera, which I encourage and fully support. I’ve never been interested in proselytizing through my storytelling, but in celebrating God’s greatness in our lives through the stories I tell.

Finally, Bure said that God has “captured all of [her] heart” and is “reflected in everything” she does and says.

“God’s love and God’s compassion is front and center. All of that comes from the LOVE that God himself showered upon humanity when he gave the gift of joy and forgiveness on the first Christmas morning 2000 years ago,” said Bure. “It is why I love Christmas stories and sharing true joy and true peace with millions of people around the world. And in the sole motivation of pure love, I hope you’ll join me in sharing God’s hope for all the world this Christmas season. Call that my Christmas wish.”

Bure’s first GAC Christmas movie, “A Christmas… Present,” premieres Sunday, November 27 at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times on GAC. In it, she co-stars with Marc Blucas as Maggie and Eric, “the parents of teenagers, embarking to the home of her widowed brother to celebrate Christmas. Through an unusual series of transformative events, Maggie learns that it’s better to embrace the holiday than spend the time trying to make it picture-perfect,” according to the GAC press release.