The next Christmas movie from a former fan-favorite Hallmark Channel star won’t be seen there, but is being produced for Great American Family, where she’s starred in multiple 2026 movies and its series “When Hope Calls.”
Deadline is reporting that Cindy Busby has just started production on a new holiday feature for GAF.
The actress is headlining “Christmas Wrapped in Love,” a new yuletide feature that will debut later this year during Great American Media’s Great American Christmas programming event, slated to kick off in October.
A Holiday Romance
Based on Jennifer Snow’s bestselling novel “The Christmas Gift List,” “Christmas Wapped in Love” will feature Busby as Natasha Lloyd. According to Deadline’s description, Natasha has “built a unique business helping clients locate thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gifts for the people they love.”
Enter Ryan Bartlett, an overworked surgeon who “finds himself tasked with purchasing meaningful Christmas gifts for his entire family, he hires Natasha for help. To uncover the perfect presents, Natasha agrees to pose as Ryan’s girlfriend and spend the holiday season getting to know his family.”
Deadline continues: “What begins as a professional arrangement soon becomes something much more as Natasha discovers the true meaning of family, belonging, and love at Christmas.”
Per the synopsis, “Filled with festive traditions, heartfelt moments and the enduring message that the greatest gifts come from the heart, ‘Christmas Wrapped in Love’ celebrates the power of thoughtful giving and the connections that make the season meaningful.”
Cindy Busby Brings ‘Authenticity’ and ‘Heart’
“Cindy Busby represents everything audiences have come to expect from Great American Media — authenticity, heart and performances that feel both timeless and deeply personal,” said Great American Media president and CEO Bill Abbott in a statement.
“It is remarkable that in just five years, we’ve built a family of talent that viewers actively seek out because they trust the stories we tell together,” Abbott continued. “This kind of enduring connection is rare in entertainment today, and it is the foundation of everything we are building.”
Cindy Busby Exited Hallmark for Her New Home
Known for the popular Canadian drama “Heartland,” Busby is a series regular in Great American Family’s “When Hope Calls,” GAF’s spinoff of Hallmark’s “When Calls the Heart.”
Meanwhile, she also has a long history with Hallmark Channel. Among her Hallmark credits is the hit series “Cedar Cove,” starring in the “Hailey Dean Mystery” movies and several rom-coms — most notably the Jane Austen-inspired “Unleashing Mr. Darcy” and its sequel.
Why So Many Hallmark Stars Are Heading to Great American Family
Great American Family president and CEO Bill Abbott previously headed Hallmark Channel. When he parted ways with the company in 2020, he wound up reshaping the Great American Media cable channels into a Hallmark rival.
Thanks to his pre-existing relationships with Hallmark’s stars, he’s been able to encourage many of them to join him for his new venture, hiring Candace Cameron Bure as Chief Creative Officer and Chief Content Officer.
Other Hallmark stars who’ve worked for Great American Media include Jill Wagner, Danica McKellar, Jessica Lowndes, Cameron Mathison and Lori Loughlin.
