“When Calls the Heart” guest star Melissa Gilbert deactivated her Instagram page on January 10 amid a difficult situation involving her husband, Timothy Busfield.
Gilbert joined “When Calls the Heart” for a short guest arc in season 12, playing Georgie McGill. Hallmark has revealed that Georgie will return for multiple episodes in season 13, as well.
Fans learned during season 12 that Georgie and Bill Avery (Jack Wagner) had something of a past with one another. There have been hints that there may be romantic sparks flying when their paths cross again during season 13.
Off-screen, however, Gilbert is navigating a difficult situation. On January 9, the County of Bernalillo in New Mexico filed an arrest warrant affidavit listing Busfield as the defendant. The legal filing indicates that the criminal complaint relates to two charges of criminal sexual contact of a minor and child abuse.
In the hours after the news emerged, supporters of Gilbert’s stepped up where they could to let her know they were standing behind her.
“Standing beside you with support and love,” one Instagram user commented.
Melissa Gilbert’s Personal Instagram Is Gone, but Her Modern Prairie Page Remains Live
The allegations covered in the criminal complaint are tied to Busfield’s work as a director on “The Cleaning Lady.”
Gilbert has not commented on the investigation or complaints filed about Busfield. Despite that, in the hours after the news emerged, many of Gilbert’s fans left supportive comments on her recent Instagram posts.
However, before the end of the day, Gilbert’s Instagram page was no longer publicly visible. Busfield’s Instagram page, which he rarely posts to, remains active. In addition, fans noticed, the Official Modern Prairie Instagram page is still up.
Modern Prairie is a lifestyle brand that Gilbert co-founded. It has a storefront with women’s clothing and household items inspired by the show Gilbert starred on as a child, “Little House on the Prairie.” She is often seen in posts on the Instagram page.
Gilbert’s Fans Are Lending Their Support via Her Modern Prairie Instagram Page
The most recent post on the Modern Prairie Instagram page went live on January 10. It includes a video of someone, seemingly Gilbert herself, making a snow angel outdoors and includes text that reads, “Happy Saturday.”
The post’s caption reads, “Saturday’s call: look for a sign… and when you find fresh snow, you make one.”
It continues, “Today’s reminder is simple: do what matters—step outside, laugh a little louder, and make space for joy. Because sometimes the most ‘grown-up’ thing we can do is drop into the moment and make snow angels like nobody’s watching.”
A number of supporters left comments that simply contained positive emojis like red hearts. Several other people made it clear they were thinking of Gilbert in the wake of the difficult news regarding Busfield.
One wrote, “Thanking of you, Melissa! I’m your biggest supporter!”
Another wrote, “We love you Melissa it’s a difficult time.”
“Prayers for peace during this time,” an additional comment read.
