By james art 
Little House on the Prairie vet Melissa Gilbert becomes Heart.
Hallmark Channel announced Saturday that Gilbert will star in two episodes of When the heart calls Season 12, which is set to premiere in 2025. She will play Georgie McGill, “who shares a surprising past with one special resident of Hope Valley,” according to the network.
Gilbert’s addition to the show happened because of her The little house roots, she shared on stage at Saturday’s annual Hearties family reunion in Vancouver. The actress got the opportunity for the role after contacting When the heart calls executive producer Michael Landon Jr., who is the son of The little house star and showrunner Michael Landon, c Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Cast Reunion and Festival held earlier this year
“When the heart calls has long drawn comparisons with Little House on the Prairiefor its charming and compelling stories of hope, human connection and survival on the frontier,” Kelly Garrett, vice president of programming for Hallmark Media, said in a statement. “It was only fitting that the first people to hear this special news were Hearties – the devoted fans who have celebrated the show year after year and made it such a success. The energy being here with them to share this news is electric and we can’t wait for them to meet Georgie next year.”
The series was renewed in May for a 12-episode 12-episode season that will “continue themes of family, community and of course romance as we move further into the 1920s.”