Candace Cameron Bure has now issued a lengthy statement, blaming the media for the backlash her own comments drew and completely ignoring the statement that got people upset in the first place. In the statement she shared exclusively with People, Bure said, “All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people. It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone.”
“It saddens me that the media is often seeking to divide us, even around a subject as comforting and merry as Christmas movies. But, given the toxic climate in our culture right now, I shouldn’t be surprised. We need Christmas more than ever. I am a devoted Christian. Which means that I believe that every human being bears the image of God. Because of that, I am called to love all people, and I do. If you know me, you know that I am a person who loves fiercely and indiscriminately. My heart yearns to build bridges and bring people one step closer to God, to love others well, and to simply be a reflection of God’s huge love for all of us.”
The actress then went on to blame “the media” for causing a divide.
“To the members of the media responsible for using this opportunity to fan flames of conflict and hate, I have a simple message: I love you anyway. To those who hate what I value and who are attacking me online: I love you. To those who have tried to assassinate my character: I love you. To everyone reading this, of any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling, I love you,” Bure continued.
“I have long wanted to find a home for more faith-based programming. I am grateful to be an integral part of a young and growing network. I had also expressed in my interview, which was not included, that people of all ethnicities and identities have and will continue to contribute to the network in great ways both in front of and behind the camera, which I encourage and fully support. I’ve never been interested in proselytizing through my storytelling, but in celebrating God’s greatness in our lives through the stories I tell.”
To conclude her statement, Bure added, “The God we serve is a wildly creative and loving God. He didn’t just capture a small part of my heart, He has captured all of my heart. He will be reflected in everything I do and say; in my family, my work and my interactions with people from all walks of life, God’s love and God’s compassion is front and center.”
“All of that comes from the LOVE that God himself showered upon humanity when he gave the gift of joy and forgiveness on the first Christmas morning 2000 years ago. It is why I love Christmas stories and sharing true joy and true peace with millions of people around the world. And in the sole motivation of pure love, I hope you’ll join me in sharing God’s hope for all the world this Christmas season. Call that my Christmas wish.”
Candace Cameron Bure spent 14 years making movies for the Hallmark Channel, but that chapter in her life came to an end in April when she left the network for a new one – Great American Family. Now the chief creative officer at her new network, Cameron has revealed some of her future plans for her holiday films.
One of those plans is receiving quite a bit of drawback and criticism. In an attempt to “keep traditional marriage at the core,” Cameron revealed that Great American Family won’t likely feature gay couples – instead, opting for storylines that feature “traditional marriages.”
It’s something that allegedly played a major role in her leaving Hallmark for the new network, which was created in 2021. She was unhappy with the ‘change of leadership’ at Hallmark and felt Great American Family was a much better fit for her vision, brand, and goals. She’s excited to tell stories with ‘purpose’ and ‘depth.’
At the time of her split with Hallmark, a network representative reiterated the company’s dedication to telling stories with diverse perspectives – for all audiences. “We want all viewers to see themselves in our programming and everyone is welcome,” said the representative, in contrast to what Cameron believes.
Now at Great American Family, Cameron has the freedom to tell stories more in line with what she believes. “I knew that the people behind Great American Family were Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good family entertainment,” she said in a recent interview.
In response to her comments, however, many of her celebrity counterparts were upset with her choice of words. “One Tree Hill” star Hilarie Burton Morgan said this:
While Dance Moms star JoJo Siwa, who Bure had drama with earlier this year and who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, responded by saying, “Honestly, I can’t believe after everything that went down just a few months ago, that she would not only create a movie with intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press,” Siwa wrote. “This is rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.”
It’s somewhat of a homecoming for Candace Cameron, though. The founder and current CEO of Great American Family, Bill Abbott, is the former CEO of Crown Media – the parent company behind the Hallmark Channel. Abbott and Cameron have worked together for years, so it’s nothing new for them.
Still, Abbott didn’t seem to be as blunt as Cameron about the LGBTQ+ content. Instead, he gave a much more “conservative” response. “It’s certainly the year 2022, so we’re aware of the trends. There’s no whiteboard that says, ‘Yes, this’ or ‘No, we’ll never go here,” said Abbott to The Wall Street Journal.
Candace Cameron Releasing First Holiday Film With New Network Soon
As of right now, Candace Cameron has yet to release her first project as an executive at Great American Family. That’s about to change on November 22 when she releases A Christmas… Present as part of the network’s Great American Christmas – which will feature new Christmas movies all season long.
The TV movie will star Marc Blucas alongside Cameron – who plays a real estate agent and mother that doesn’t quite understand the meaning behind Christmas. After spending the season with her widowed brother, she starts to see the ‘reason for the season’ and tries to give her family the best Xmas possible.
“A Christmas … Present is about slowing down enough to recognize what’s right in front of our eyes. The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season will arrive before we know it but it’s through the quiet moments that we hear God speak to us, directing our path to what’s most important,” said Candace Cameron.
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Bill Abbott is also excited about the release. “I am thrilled to be kicking off our partnership with a must-see film like A Christmas…Present, which will delight our fans this holiday season,” he said, adding that it embodies what his Great American Media team is looking forward to producing in the coming weeks.
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