The Hallmark Channel cut ties Thursday with favoured star Lori Loughlin, a day after her arrest in a college admissions scam put the family-friendly network and extended Hallmark brand in uncomfortable proximity to a national scandal.

害羞草研究所淲e are saddened by the recent allegations surrounding the college admissions process,害羞草研究所� Hallmark Cards Inc., parent company of the Crown Media Family Networks group that includes the Hallmark Channel, said in a statement.

害羞草研究所淲e are no longer working with Lori Loughlin害羞草研究所� and have stopped development of all productions with the actress for Crown Media channels, the statement said.

The company initially took a wait-and-see approach after a federal investigation of the scam involving more than 30 parents, many of them prominent, was revealed Tuesday. Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, are accusedof paying bribes to gain their daughters害羞草研究所� college admissions.

Loughlin害羞草研究所檚 career and the Hallmark Channel were deeply intertwined. She害羞草研究所檚 been among its so-called 害羞草研究所淐hristmas queens害羞草研究所� who topline a slate of popular holiday movies, and also starred in the ongoing 害羞草研究所淕arage Sale Mysteries害羞草研究所� movies and the series 害羞草研究所淲hen Calls the Heart.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a feel-good, family values-type channel, and obviously scandal is the opposite of that,害羞草研究所� said Atlanta-based market strategist Laura Ries.

There was more at stake than image. 害羞草研究所淲hen Calls the Heart害羞草研究所� tapes in Canada, and a judge ordered Loughlin害羞草研究所檚 passport to be surrendered in December after grudgingly allowing her to cross the border for work until then.

Loughlin has not yet entered a plea in the case, and her attorney declined comment Wednesday after her first appearance in a Los Angeles federal court. Loughlin害羞草研究所檚 publicist declined comment Thursday on Hallmark害羞草研究所檚 decision to drop her.

The actress wasn害羞草研究所檛 exclusive to Hallmark. She害羞草研究所檚 reprised her role as Aunt Becky for Netflix害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淔uller House害羞草研究所� reboot of the popular series that originated in 1987 on ABC. But the sitcom represents a fraction of the streamer害羞草研究所檚 flood of programs, while Loughlin has occupied an increasing amount of Hallmark real estate since she starred in 害羞草研究所淢eet My Mom害羞草研究所� in 2010.

She害羞草研究所檚 proved a reliable performer. Her 2018 holiday movie, 害羞草研究所淗omegrown Christmas,害羞草研究所� was the most-watched non-sports cable program the week it aired. In February, the season six premiere of 害羞草研究所淲hen Calls the Heart害羞草研究所� was watched by a series-best 2.5 million viewers, putting it behind only 害羞草研究所淭he Walking Dead害羞草研究所� in Sunday night cable dramas.

害羞草研究所淭hey definitely have a formula and you do have to follow the formula. And if you don害羞草研究所檛, they rein you back in and say, 害羞草研究所榊ou have to follow. This is our format, this is what we do,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Loughlin said in an interview last year with The Associated Press about the Christmas movies.

She said the rigidity chafes a bit but called the result 害羞草研究所渉eartwarming,害羞草研究所� adding, 害羞草研究所淵ou go to bed and you don害羞草研究所檛 have any bad dreams.害羞草研究所�

The New York City native with a sunny smile proved a good fit for the channel that specializes in romantic dramas and comedies with a wholesome touch, while her media-friendly personality allowed her to expertly tout her shows on her website and in TV appearances.

Then came Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 bombshell government allegation that Loughlin and her husband were among more than 30 parents who paid a consultant to ensure their offspring害羞草研究所檚 place in college with bribes and falsified exams. Prosecutors allege the couple paid $500,000 to have their daughters labeled as crew-team recruits at the University of Southern California, although neither is a rower.

Felicity Huffman (害羞草研究所淒esperate Housewives,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所滱merican Crime害羞草研究所�) was among the other prominent parents, including a lawyer, doctor and a venture capitalist, indicted in the scam.

Hallmark Cards, the Kansas City, Missouri, enterprise started in 1910, has moved quickly before to respond to any flare-ups, such as in when it removed a gift wrap from circulation after one person complained of seeing a swastika in its pattern.

Misbehaviour may be unusual in the Hallmark world but is nothing new for Hollywood, with the fallout from sex and other scandals affecting celebrities and companies. But the white-collar crime Loughlin is accused of is akin to that of another unlikely scofflaw: Martha Stewart, who was convicted in 2004 of obstructing justice and lying to the government about a stock sale.

害羞草研究所淪he lost trust,害羞草研究所� said Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a New York-based brand research firm. So did her empire, despite Stewart害羞草研究所檚 efforts to separate her personal actions from it: 害羞草研究所淲rong 害羞草研究所� you害羞草研究所檙e the brand,害羞草研究所� he said.

While Stewart may exemplify her business, Loughlin wasn害羞草研究所檛 the only engaging star on Hallmark害羞草研究所檚 roster. 害羞草研究所淔ull House害羞草研究所� co-star Candace Cameron Bure and Lacey Chabert are among its popular holiday movie stars, and another emerged this year as Kellie Pickler害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淐hristmas At Graceland害羞草研究所� ranked as the most-watched entry.

害羞草研究所淭here are other actresses out there, whether they find or develop another to replace her,害羞草研究所� said Ries.

Lynn Elber, The Associated Press

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