Could Chris McNally Leave WHEN CALLS THE HEART?

Published: April 2, 2026

By Michaela Gordoni

WTCH Season 13 left viewers with major questions, and one of the most pressing is whether they’ll see Chris McNally again.

In the season, Elizabeth and Nathan get engaged and Lucas and Edie hit it off with a kiss. However, the finale gives Edie a New York job offer, which leaves Lucas (played by McNally) uncertain about his future. He already announced to Hope Valley residents that he will no longer be governor, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING reported.

This means he and Edie may leave for New York, and remain unseen in Season 14.

When Lucas and Edie rekindled their relationship, Lucas said, “When I first ran for office, I really wanted to make a difference, but winning that private grant with you and getting the school funded, it just felt like the first time in quite a while that I’d really accomplished something,” Lucas said. “You make me go further … in fact, you have since we first met. … I hope it’s not too late to say I was a fool.”

Then, Edie broke the news that she will head to New York.

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Lucas asked, “Do they need help in New York?” and Edie kissed him. So, all signs point to New York–as of right now.

McNally said in January, “The longevity of a show like When Calls the Heart is so rare. The show has kind of become a part of me, and I think it shows that Hallmark has one of the most loyal fan bases out there. They really care about When Calls the Heart and continue to show up and invest their time to watch these characters.”

He really enjoys the enthusiastic fan base.

“I also enjoy attending events where you see everybody and get to know how passionate they are that they’re willing to travel from all over to meet you,” he added. “It’s definitely a blessing, that’s for sure.”

Showrunner Brian Bird says the show will only get better and better, despite that it’s already over a decade old.

“What other show can say in Season 13 that it’s getting better?” Bird told Parade. “Sometimes you feel you are losing steam, but we don’t feel that way about WCTH; it’s only growing and building with each new chapter.”

“The storytelling was extremely epic with the raging wildfire and Hope Valley taking the people of Benson Hills into their arms and caring for them. I thought it was a beautiful way to talk about the importance of community,” he said of Season 13.

He says community will continue to be highlighted in future seasons. Season 14 will air sometime next year.

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