Jesse and Clara Left 'When Calls the Heart' Ahead of the Season 9 Premiere — Why?
Published March 7 2022, 8:53 a.m. ET
Season 9 of When Calls the Heart kicked off with a brand new episode on Sunday, Mar. 6, 2022. Picking up shortly after the Season 8 finale left off, the premiere offers a glimpse into Elizabeth's (Erin Krakow) life with Lucas (Chris McNally).
Nathan (Kevin McGarry) is now sporting a mustache, and Minnie is about to invest in a new business venture. But two Hope Valley natives seem to have gone missing. Why did Jesse (Aren Buchholz) and Clara (Eva Bourne) leave When Calls the Heart?
Did Jesse and Clara leave 'When Calls the Heart'? If so, why?
Jesse and Clara set out on a new adventure ahead of the Season 9 premiere of When Calls the Heart. Erin, the actress portraying Elizabeth on the show, addressed the predicament during an appearance on the Hallmarkies Podcast.
"They’re homesteading," she said. "Their characters are homesteading somewhere as newlyweds, but they’re not in Hope Valley with us this season. We miss them."
The duo famously ties the knot in Season 7, Episode 6 of the show.
Season 8 of When Calls the Heart deals with a fallout between the couple. A hard-working waitress, Clara has long aspired to save up enough money. In one of the episodes, Jesse makes an unwise investment — which quickly turns into a source of conflict for the couple.
Aren Buchholz and Eva Bourne have already taken on new work projects.
Aren Buchholz and Eva Bourne announced their departure from When Calls the Heart weeks before the Season 9 premiere — which gave fans enough time to mentally prepare for an episode without their favorite couple.
"I'm excited about Season 9 of When Calls the Heart, but I am going to miss Clara and Jesse on the show. They were one of my favorite couples," tweeted @debrabrayrcnco1.
"Shoutout to one of the best couples on When Calls the Heart. Aren Buchholz and Eva! Thanks for playing such great roles on the show for so many years. I love how your love story was filled with redemption and true love. You will be missed by your #hearties family. Let's hope this is a see you soon!" tweeted @Shanromualdi98.
Aren has portrayed Jesse's character since the Season 3 premiere in December 2015. He revealed that he was leaving the show back in December 2021. Since then, he has signed on for a short film, a feature film, and a TV series.
In Jen Araki's Whistle, Aren plays Darren, one of the main characters. In Heatwave, Aren portrays a character named Lane. Aren will also appear in Harley Peyton's forthcoming TV series, Reginald the Vampire, per IMDb.
Meanwhile, Eva Bourne landed the role of Gina in Devil in Ohio, appearing alongside Emily Deschanel, Alisha Newton, and Sam Jaeger.
Catch new episodes of When Calls the Heart every Sunday at 8 p.m. EST.