W NETWORK MAKES SPIRITS BRIGHT AS HALLMARK CHANNEL'S COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS RETURNS OCTOBER 16 STREAMING ON STACKTV

34 New Holiday Movies and One Special Light Up this Year's Lineup Including A Grand Biltmore Christmas and The Nights Before Christmas

Holiday Magic Meets Romance at the Most Magical Place on Earth in Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True Starring Lacey Chabert

Canadian Original Series Mistletoe Murders Returns for Season 3 and the Fan Favourite Holiday Touchdown Franchise Expands with Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story 

This Year's Complete Festive Lineup is Available to Stream Exclusively on STACKTV

The complete movie checklist can be found here

TORONTO, Oct. 5, 2026 /CNW/ -- It's the gift that keeps giving as Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas returns to W Network and STACKTV beginning Friday, October 16. Over 10 consecutive weeks, W Network is Canada's official holiday cheer headquarters, wrapping up and delivering heartwarming stories centered around the magic of the season. Following last year's Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas, where W Network reached over 8 million Canadians and was ranked as the #1 specialty entertainment station for A25-54, F25-54 and total viewers*, this year's lineup features 34 all-new movie premieres, one special and two returning series reuniting viewers with household favourites, notable stars and feel-good holiday tales. With Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas full lineup available to stream exclusively on STACKTV, the festivities continue as W Network will also be available on National Free Preview from November 1 to November 30. Please check local listings for additional information.

"The spirit of the holidays comes alive with the annual return of Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas on W Network and STACKTV," said Jennifer Abrams, SVP Content and Marketing. "Our long-standing partnership with Hallmark continues to bring Canadian audiences the heartwarming stories, familiar faces and holiday magic they look forward to year after year.  

MOVIES

From time-travel twists to holiday meet cutes, this year's movie lineup is loaded with festive fun, heartfelt romance, and the magic of connection.

Debuting Saturday, November 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, Lacey Chabert and Travis Van Winkle star in Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True where a holiday wish in Cinderella Fountain may turn their rivalry into romance.  Disney alumni Christy Carlson Romano and Richard Kind also star in this holiday tale set at The Most Magical Place on Earth.

In the time-travel tale with a holiday twist, The Nights Before Christmas, premiering Saturday, November 14 at 8 p.m. ET/ PT is an all-new Canadian movie starring Tyler Hynes and Laci J Maily. Marty is happily caught in a time loop on Christmas Eve until he encounters a down on her luck Chloe and for the first time since the loop started, he wants to see Christmas Day.

Continuing the time travels adventures, A Grand Biltmore Christmas follows Elizabeth as she travels from 1915 to 2026 Biltmore, where she reconnects with Michael and falls in love with the wonders of the 21^st century. Airing Saturday, December 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, A Grand Biltmore Christmas stars Holland Roden, Niall Matter, Andie MacDowell, James Trevena, Jonathan Frakes, Rachel Boston and Wes Brown.

The Holiday Touchdown franchise returns with Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story joining the lineup on Saturday, October 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Avery writes an article profiling a woman attending her 500th Bears game, who only agrees to the story if her grandson serves as Avery's ambassador to Chicago for the holidays. This match made on the field stars, Lyndsy Fonseca, Robert Buckley, Marsha Mason, Barbara Alyn Woods, and Khary Payton with tons of special cameos, including Marilu Henner and Tamera Mowry-Housley.

TV SERIES

Festive fan favourite, Canadian original, Mistletoe Murders is back with Season 3 on Thursday, November 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Emily and Sam tackle new mysteries that come to town and in the process further ignite their flame all while Emily's past threatens her time in Fletcher's Grove. Based on the Audible global hit podcast of the same name and created by Ken Cuperus, Mistletoe Murders from Lionsgate Canada and Headspinner Productions stars Sarah Drew as Emily Lane and Peter Mooney as Sam Wilner with special guest appearances from Holly Robinson Peete and Catherine Bell.

All aboard for the return of Christmas at Sea as Season 2 premieres on Monday, December 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with back-to-back episodes. In this unscripted series, Hallmark superfans are rockin' around the high seas celebrating the holidays aboard a Christmas cruise. Across four-episodes superfans experience life changing moments and share in the joy of the season with a few surprises from their favourite Hallmark stars. Christmas at Sea features appearances from Benjamin Ayres, Jonathan Bennett, Rachel Boston, B.J. Britt, Wes Brown, Erin Cahill, Paul Campbell, Taylor Cole, Nikki DeLoach, Heather Hemmens, Tyler Hynes, Ginna Claire Mason, Brendan Penny, Kimberley Sustad, Andrew Walker and Ashley Williams.

For this year's full festive lineup, please see below:

W Network can be streamed via STACKTV, available on Amazon Prime Video, Bell Fibe TV app, Rogers Ignite TV and Ignite Streaming. The network is also available through all major TV distributors, including: Shaw, Shaw Direct, Rogers, Bell, Videotron, Telus, Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel.

*Source: Numeris PPM Data, Total Canada, CTC'25 (10/17/2025 - 12/28/2025) - confirmed data, M-Su 2a-2a, W Network, Ind.2+ CumRch(000), rank based on CDN SPEC COM ENG (excludes sports stations), AMA(000), Ind.2+/A25-54/F25-54.

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W Network is a Corus Entertainment Network.

About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops, delivers and distributes high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since 1999, the company's portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 25 specialty television services, 36 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, digital and streaming platforms, and social digital agency and media services. Corus' roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, Flavour Network, Home Network, The HISTORY® Channel, Showcase, Slice, Adult Swim, National Geographic and Global News, along with streaming platforms STACKTV, TELETOON+, Vivéo, the Global TV App and Curiouscast. For more information visit www.corusent.com.

About STACKTV
STACKTV is Corus Entertainment's premium multi-channel television streaming service that offers thousands of hours of exclusive hit content from the top Canadian TV networks, all on one platform. Stream series, movies and specials from Global Television, Flavour Network, Home Network, W Network, The HISTORY® Channel, Adult Swim, Slice, Showcase, National Geographic, Lifetime, DTOUR, Cartoon Network, Treehouse, YTV, and Disney Channel with new content added daily. STACKTV is available via Amazon Prime Video, Bell Fibe TV app, Rogers Xfinity TV and Rogers Xfinity Streaming. For more information, visit stacktv.ca.

SOURCE Corus Entertainment Inc. (PR Group)

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