Not Bill! With the premiere of Season 10 of When Calls the Heart, we’re still wondering about Bill Avery’s health after we learned that he was ill in Season 9. Is Bill Avery leaving When Calls the Heart? And if he does leave, could he be reprising his beloved roles in these two daytime soaps? Here’s what we know.
When Calls the Heart is Hallmark Channel’s drama series following Elizabeth Thatcher, a young teacher accustomed to her high-society life who receives her first classroom assignment in Coal Valley (now named Hope Valley), a small coal-mining town in western Canada where life is simple but not without its challenges. The show, which premiered in July 2014, is based on Janette Oke’s novel of the same title from her Canadian West book series. Season 10 of When Calls the Heart will premiered on Sunday, July 30, 2023, at 9 p.m. on the Hallmark Channel.
Jack Wagner plays Bill Avery, a lawman and forensic investigator who arrived in Hope Valley for a mine explosion investigation in Season 1. Over the years, Avery has become a staple in the community and holds important roles throughout the town’s administration, including sheriff and interim mayor. Avery also developed a close relationship with the show’s lead Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton (Erin Krakow) and is the godfather to her child, little Jack. In an interview with Digital Journal in July 2023, Wagner praised his character ahead of the anticipated 10th season.
“It has been nice to play this character who is rigid and by the book. Bill has been a sheriff, a judge, and has showed no weaknesses,” he explained, adding that “It has been nice to have some scenes with Erin Krakow, who plays Elizabeth, where my character shows some vulnerability. I love how by the book my character is, and I also like the comedy that he brings to the series.”
As for what the actor can share about Season 10, he admitted that the next installment “will make the fans laugh and cry.” “We start the season, and there is a revelation that happens right around the community there, which turns out to be a wellness spring. That’s a big deal in terms of my character. It airs on July 30, Elizabeth is teaching her class ‘Carpe Diem,’ which means ‘seize the moment’,” he teased about the opening episode.
But as fans also know, Bill has also been dealing with some scary health issues. Could Bill Avery be leaving When Calls the Heart during Season 10?
Is Bill Avery leaving When Calls the Heart?
Is Bill Avery leaving When Calls the Heart? We’re not sure. As of now, neither Jack Wagner nor Hallmark has announced anything concerning Bill’s character. While some viewers thought the show might kill Bill off-screen before Season 10, that theory proved to be false. Wagner confirmed that Bill will be in Season 10 of When Calls the Heart, which premiered on July 30, 2023.
The concern over Bill’s health originated in Season 9. After he experienced breathlessness, Bill visited Dr. Faith Carter (Andrea Brooks) at the clinic, who advised him that he might have pneumonia. Dr. Cartner and Molly Sullivan (Johannah Newmarch) told Bill to get himself officially checked out at Union City, but Bill ignored their concerns and refused to get an X-ray. His health took a turn for the worse when he coughed up blood.
In the first episode of Season 10, it’s evident that Bill is still not taking his health problems seriously. He spends a lot of time coughing, ignores his friends’ concern for his wellbeing and skips his doctor’s appointment in Union City. It’s not looking good for Bill right now, but we’re going to have to wait as the season progresses to learn more about his condition.
In an interview with TV Insider in July 2023 (conducted before the actors’ strike), Krakow spoke more about Bill’s health concerns and whether he is allowing anyone to help him in Season 10. “It was the end of Season 9 we learned more about Bill’s health issues, and he is the type of guy who doesn’t really want to let anyone help him,” she explained.
“Bill can be kind of a curmudgeon in that way. And so Dr. Faith Carter [Andrea Brooks] almost has to beg him to let her help. Obviously there are plenty of people in town who care about him, but he’s trying to be so tough about it all. And it may be that there’s a little bit of that Hope Valley magic that helps him heal in Season 10.”
We’ll have to wait and see what exactly that “Hope Valley magic” Krakow is referring to is and whether it’s enough to save Bill Avery on When Calls the Heart.
Is Jack Wagner returning to The Bold and the Beautiful or General Hospital?
Is Jack Wagner returning to General Hospital or The Bold and the Beautiful? Soap fans will remember that Wagner played General Hospital’s Frisco Jones from 1994 to 2013 and Nick Marone in The Bold and the Beautiful from 2003 to 2012. Wagner also appeared in The Bold and the Beautiful‘s 35th anniversary reunion episode in 2022.
If Bill Avery dies in Season 10 of When Calls the Heart, Wagner would be free to return to The Bold and the Beautiful as Nick and steal lost love Brooke away from half-brother Ridge. Or, on General Hospital, Frisco could turn ex-wife Felicia’s head by finally trying to mend fences with their daughter Maxie — which is bad news for Felicia’s husband Mac.
Wagner is also best known for his roles as Dr. Peter Burns in the nighttime soap Melrose Place and as Mick Turner in the Hallmark film series Wedding March.
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