How Hallmark Plans to Change Reality TV: ‘Part of the Whole Mission’

After more than a year of planning and filming, Hallmark Media is ready to dive into reality TV and, if successful, infuse the genre with the one thing execs think is missing from unscripted programming: heartfelt connections and experiences.

When the company’s streaming service Hallmark Movies Now morphs into Hallmark+ on September 10, 2024, the upgraded streamer will feature new rom-coms and drama series that its fans love. But there will also be an ever-growing lineup of original reality shows hosted by some of Hallmark’s biggest stars, from Lacey Chabert to Wes Brown.

Veteran reality TV producer David Stefanou, who joined Hallmark Media as its new head of unscripted programming in 2023, told RealScreen in an August 22 interview that providing a slate of heart-centered reality shows is “part of the whole mission” of launching Hallmark+.

“It’s uplifting, heart-driven, community-driven, connected-feeling television,” Stefanou said, “but it’s exciting to try to find those themes in the real world. And I think that we all agree that the real world is a pretty intense place right now, so I think finding those kinds of heartfelt stories right next door, or in your own backyard in town, is a very exciting thing to be able to create.”

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Head of Hallmark’s Unscripted Programming Says Hallmark+ Will Provide ‘Safe’ Alternative to ‘Super-Salacious’ Reality TV

Stefanou has worked in unscripted TV for nearly two decades, per IMDB, including producing Oprah Winfrey’s behind-the-scenes 25th anniversary series, overseeing Oxygen’s “Tori and Dean: Inn Love” for six years and serving as WeTV’s SVP of original programming from 2014 to 2022, per LinkedIn.

After so many years working in the genre, Stefanou told RealScreen he’s excited about doing something different with Hallmark.

“People, I think, are compelled to make super-salacious and edgy shows to get the most attention,” Stefanou said of the reality TV landscape, “and Hallmark is a place you go to feel safe, to feel connected and get away from all of that stress and all of that noise. A lot of what I’m doing is really creating real stories that will give you that warm, cozy feeling.”

The first round of reality series launching on Hallmark+ includes Chabert’s show devoted to throwing surprise parties for deserving people, a holiday travel series hosted by Brown, a unique dating show starring Ashley Williams, a home improvement show with Luke Macfarlane, and a talent search for the next “Hallmark hunk” spearheaded by Jonathan Bennett and Melissa Peterman.

“Most of our series out of the gate do have a Hallmark star front and center, but I love that we’re able to show a different side of them to the viewers,” Stefanou said. “This is them actually in the real world interacting with real people, but also doing something that’s important to them.”

Though its beloved rom-coms, Christmas movies and mysteries will remain a core part of Hallmark Media’s year-round programming on Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Mystery and Hallmark+, the company sees an opportunity to reflect its values and brand in reality shows, too.

When Hallmark first announced in November 2023 that it was developing reality programming including “Celebrations With Lacey Chabert,” EVP of programming Lisa Hamilton Daly said in a statement, “The Hallmark brand lends itself to a wide array of opportunities to tell stories that bring inspiration, comfort, joy, and happiness to our viewers, so tapping into this genre allows us to evolve and expand our programming footprint in incredibly rewarding ways.”

“I think it’s a great part of the strategy because we’re really looking to find the themes and types of stories you’d see in (Hallmark’s) series and movies in the real world,” Stefanou told RealScreen. “So you’re going to see people in situations, generating the kinds of stories, facing the kinds of challenges and hopefully finding the same sorts of positive conclusions that you’ll see in our films and in our scripted series.”

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Jonathan Bennett Says His New Competition Series ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’ is ‘Reality With Heart’

Bennett, who came up with the concept of Hallmark’s first-ever reality competition, “Finding Mr. Christmas,” is particularly excited about helping to unveil a new kind of reality programming.

He told Screen Rant on August 21 that he calls himself a “reality show freak” because he loves watching series like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and has competed on other networks’ reality shows in the past, including CBS’s “Big Brother” and ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars.”

“To take my love of reality (TV)…and get to create a show for Hallmark and bring all that to this network that I’ve been lucky enough to become such a part of, it’s so fantastic,” he said.

In “Finding Mr. Christmas,” 10 actors will live in a house and compete to become Hallmark’s next holiday hunk, Bennett told Screen Rant — but in a wholesome, heartfelt way.

“Hallmark is doing reality, but we’re also doing it the way Hallmark would do reality,” Bennett continued. “It’s reality with heart. So even though, yes, they’re competing…what you’ll see, in true Hallmark fashion, is we’ve created an environment for these actors to feel safe and thrive and grow as not just actors, but as humans.”

Stefanou told RealScreen that the first five reality shows premiering in 2024 are the tip of the iceberg. He’s continually reviewing pitches from production companies and Hallmark stars eager to appear in their own series, he said. There will also be a 2025 reality series filmed on one of the upcoming Hallmark Christmas cruises that follow several Hallmark super fans on their voyage.

But there are some reality themes Hallmark’s taking a hard pass on, Stefanou told the outlet, including true crime, “anything that invokes stress,” and animal-based shows.

He explained, “I’m more interested in shows that show human connections right now, because that is really what Hallmark does.”

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