Virgin River fans are already eagerly awaiting the upcoming fourth season of the Netflix drama. But viewers are in for an extra special treat as one of the sleepy Californian town's favourite residents will be making their comeback in the new episodes.
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Taking to Twitter, actress Annette O'Toole confirmed to her followers that not only has she returned to the series but that she has actually wrapped her scenes for the new episodes.
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"Today is the last day of filming for #VirginRiver season four," she shared in a status update. "It has been a joy to work alongside this wonderful crew. They wear masks all day; sometimes over 12 hours. I cannot say enough about their dedication and goodwill. I salute and thank them."
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Fans were thrilled to hear that the town's resident busybody would be back and up to her old antics again, and many took to the replies to let Annette know as much. "YES! I love Hope and missed her on s3," one wrote. Another said: "I can't wait to see Hope and Doc back together again."
A third tried to get some info on what fans can expect from the new episodes. They wrote: "Congratulations! Can you give us any nuggets re what happens?" to which Annette replied: "No nuggets allowed. But it is an exciting season!"
© Photo: NetflixAnnette O'Toole was unable to film scenes for the third season of the Netflix show
Annette was notably absent from season three after the coronavirus pandemic made it impossible for her to join the rest of the cast in Vancouver.
Speaking to Us Weekly shortly after season three's release, showrunner Sue Tenney explained: "We were affected by COVID like every other show, and it was impossible for Annette to come and join us up here in Vancouver. Personally, I love Hope. I love the character, so we got busy in the writers' room to see how we can keep her alive in the show, with only having limited access."
In another interview with Entertainment Weekly, she added that some major storylines that they had planned for this season - namely Doc and Hope's vow renewal ceremony - had to be scrapped in light of the circumstances.
Currently, there's no news as to when season four will be released, but the news that many of the cast have now finished filming their scenes is sure to raise fans' spirits. While it's unlikely that new episodes will arrive on Netflix this year, fans should keep in mind that season three wrapped up production in December 2020 and was released in July 2021. So if all goes to plan, we could be settling down to binge-watch the new episodes in just seven-months time!
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