This week, Hallmark announced a new reality competition show in search of a new leading man to join their rotating cast of holiday hunks.
Finding Mr. Christmas will feature 10 actors competing to become the titular "Mr. Christmas" through a series of challenges, with the winner receiving a lead role in one of the network's Christmas movies. The show was co-created by Jonathan Bennett, who will also serve as one of the judges.
"The idea for Finding Mr. Christmas…was sparked out of something that’s really happening in real life where people want to join the network. They want to be part of the family because they see how successful the brand is and how much people love the brand and they want to be in on the party," he said. "And so we thought, why not make a journey that people can watch on TV?"
Of particular interest was the question of whether or not LGBTQ+ actors would be considered in the running, and the answer appears to be "yes."
"I'm a Hallmark holiday hunk and I'm pretty freaking gay," Bennett said.
Hallmark frequently works with several out actors, including the Mean Girls star. And after previously facing controversy for its lack of LGBTQ+ representation, the network has gradually become more inclusive on screen as well, offering the occasional film featuring same-sex couples.
There's still a long way to go for diversity where Hallmark is concerned, but so far they've continued to set themselves apart from the network started by the former CEO of their parent company, Bill Abbott, by even opening the door to LGBTQ+ inclusion.
So, more of that please. The gays love Christmas, too!