‘Chesapeake Shores’ has officially returned to the airwaves for a fourth season.
The Hallmark Channel series is filmed in Qualicum Beach and Parksville, and episode one of season four aired on Sunday, Aug. 25.
Matt Drake is the producer of ‘Chesapeake Shores’. He says filming season four was a pleasure.
“It was great. It’s always been wonderful shooting on the Island. We’re really happy with the way the episodes turned out. We had a very smooth season,” Drake.
Salt Spring Island’s Greyston Holt had a recurring spot on the show as well, with five more episodes left in the season. The final episode airs on Sept. 29.
With previous seasons boasting nine or 10 episodes each, it begs the question — will there be a fifth?
Drake says that decision is up to Hallmark.
“I truly don’t know the answer to that. I hope so. But it certainly is going to depend on us getting great ratings, just like last year, and continuing on with positive ratings throughout the season,” said Drake.
If the first episode is any indication, chances are good.
“It was a great overnight rating. We’re really looking forward to hopefully continuing that trajectory,” said Drake.
He’s optimistic, but says it’s impossible to say for sure until all seasons have aired.
The show is an economic boon for the Parksville Qualicum Beach area. Drake says that in 2018, Hallmark Channels spent approximately $5 million locally during filming.
In the filming of season three, the company booked more than 10,000 room nights in hotels and hired 60 per cent of their crew base locally.
Drake acknowledges that rumours of a TV movie with some cast members are swirling, but he says that’s still in pre-production and not set in stone.
“I can’t say too much about it, but there’s a spinoff movie that’s in development,” said Drake.
“That’s all I can say. It’s not yet greenlit for production.”