Virgin River Season 8 is officially happening, as the next season was renewed long before Season 7 hit Netflix airwaves.
However, the upcoming season will look a bit different as two longtime cast members are confirmed to be exiting Virgin River following Season 7.
Lauren Hammersley (Charmaine) and Marco Grazzini (Mike) are not returning for Season 8. Ben Hollingsworth (Brady) recently spoke about losing the two longtime cast members.
“We found out about a month ago, when [showrunner] Patrick Sean Smith reached out to the cast members. He didn’t want us to find out via an article, and I reached out to Marco immediately and offered my condolences. But also, I let him know how much the show won’t be the same without him, and how much he meant to all of us,” Hollingsworth shared with Entertainment Weekly.
The Hallmark star admitted that losing Hammersley and Grazzini stung a bit because the cast is like a close-knit family. It was hard for Hollingsworth to say goodbye to the twoVirgin River stars, but he knows they will both have great futures ahead of them.
Hollingsworth further shared that it was a bit unsettling to lose his two Virgin River cast members after Brady’s Season 7 motorcycle accident cliffhanger.
“You never know. There are a lot of cast members and storylines on the show. Part of what makes any show good is the unexpected!” he expressed.
Mike’s storyline was wrapped up nicely. After Brie (Zibby Allen) finally admitted that Brady was the one man who would always have her heart, Mike reconnected with Victoria (Sara Canning), a former Los Angeles cop turned medical investigator, looking into an allegation against Doc Mullins (Tim Matheson). The season ended with Mike hinting about visiting her in Los Angeles, making way for Grazzini’s exit.
Charmaine has been on the back burner ever since it was revealed that Jack (Martin Henderson) wasn’t the father of her twins. Season 6 saw Charmaine clashing with the baby daddy, Calvin (David Cubitt), and Jack witnessing the tension. In Season 7, Charmaine’s story took a turn when Calvin was killed, and she went on the run, so it makes sense that she won’t be back for another season. She’s probably looking for a peaceful life far away from Virgin River.