Former Hallmark movie and “Full House” star Candace Cameron Bure is taking heat for implying that her new cable channel, Great American Family, is unlikely to feature same-sex couples. Bure is known for being vocal about her Christian faith, and her comments have provoked criticism from fellow celebrities, including JoJo Siwa, with whom Bure recently resolved a public conflict.
Siwa wrote in an Instagram post, “Honestly, I can’t believe after everything that went down just a few months ago, that she would not only create a movie with intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press.”
After spending over 10 years with Hallmark, Bure announced in April of this year that she was leaving the Hallmark Channel to join Great American Family, a channel launched in 2021 by Bill Abbott. Abbott is the former president and CEO of Crown Media, Hallmark’s parent company.
In a Nov. 14 article in The Wall Street Journal, Bure said she was drawn to Great American Family to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them. She also said Hallmark is a completely different network than when she started because of a change in leadership.
Hallmark will release its first movie featuring an LGBTQ love story, “The Holiday Sitter,” on Dec. 11. When the Wall Street Journal asked Bure if Great American Family will move in a similar direction, she said, “I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core.”