Barbara Niven is sharing her appreciation with fans ahead of the highly anticipated “Best Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery” premiere.
The Hallmark star took a moment to thank viewers for their continued support of the long-running movie franchise in a heartfelt video posted to social media. Niven expresses her excitement over the upcoming premiere and credits fans for the success of the series, saying that they are the “reason” that her and the rest of the cast get to keep making more “Hannah Swensen Mystery” movies.
Niven Invites Fans to Join Her in Watching ‘Best Served Cold’
“Hola, from Spain. I just got back from set. I’ve been filming all day,” Niven begins in her Instagram reel from May 15, referring to her filming the new Hallmark+ series “Paris Is Always a Good Idea” with Lacey Chabert.
She continues, “But I wanted to pop in here, first, show you what it looks like from my hotel window.” Niven pans the camera around so fans can see her view.
“I want to invite you, personally, to join us please for the newest premiere of the ‘Hannah Swensen Mysteries,’ and this one is called ‘Best Served Cold,’ written by Alison Sweeney, of course” she says, referring to her co-star who plays the titular character in the “Hannah Swensen Mystery” franchise. “We hope that you like it.”
Niven goes on to explain that despite the nine hour time difference, she will be setting her alarm “to live tweet with you” so that fans can enjoy “watching it together.”
“And thank you from Delores,” she says, referring to her character in the franchise. “And from all of us who work on these and from Hallmark.”
She expresses to fans that they are “the reason” the cast and crew “get to make more” installments in the series. “So, I hope that you like this mystery.”
Niven Teases Delores’ Love Life in ‘Best Served Cold’
In a May 14 Instagram reel shared by the official Hallmark Channel page, Niven playfully discusses what’s next for Delores in “Best Served Cold.”
“Hannah is not the only one with a new romance because Delores is a new woman,” Niven says in the reel. “Because she’s in love with Sheriff Ron Ealing, who she calls Ronnie.”
She adds, “And face it girls, who does not love a man in uniform, right? What can I say?”
The official synopsis for this newest installment in the “Hannah Swensen Mystery” franchise reads, “When a suspect in a forgery case is murdered and the prosecutor goes missing, Hannah and Chad must uncover how the two cases are connected and solve them in time for the trial,” per Hallmark Channel. The film will star Niven alongside Sweeney and Victor Webster.
As Niven mentioned in her Instagram reel, series producer and star Sweeney wrote the script for the film based on Joanne Fluke’s “Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder” for director Peter Benson, who also directed the “Sugar & Vice” chapter in the “Hannah Swensen” series. This will be the fifth script that Sweeney has written for the series, according to TV Goodness.
“Best Served Cold: A Hannah Swensen Mystery” premieres on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 8/7c.
Watch a sneak peek for the film below:
