
[Warning: General spoilers ahead]
Fan favorite Alison Sweeney is back on Hallmark Channel Saturday night in Love on the Air, starring opposite Ties That Bind‘s Jonathan Scarfe in a romantic comedy about opposites who attract after they begrudgingly become co-hosts of a radio talk show. We had the chance to send Sweeney some questions over e-mail, so we asked about the film, her Hallmark Movies & Mysteries franchise, Murder She Baked, and her return to Days of Our Lives.

Love on the Air bears Sweeney’s stamp as an actress and executive producer. “I’m very excited to have brought this project to Hallmark and to be part of its journey to finally being on air,” she says. “[I] worked very closely with the producing team and the network on all aspects of the TV movie. I was so thrilled to discover [Sharon [Soboil]’s script through a friend. [I] immediately identified with the characters and wanted to bring them to life.”

“I’m a sucker for a romantic comedy and the idea of a modern day He Said, She Said with a burgeoning romance from opposites was particularly appealing. The dialogue was clever and smart with lots of funny lighthearted moments, as well as heartwarming scenes too and I really liked that the character Sonia was a very different person then the character I played on Days.

“I love great storytelling and the story is the most important element to me, whether or not I’m acting in the project,” she explains. “Finding characters and stories that people can relate to, identify with, that’s key. It’s one of the many reasons why I love to direct – it’s another vantage point for telling a great story.”
Sweeney was thrilled to have Scarfe come onboard the project. “Jon is a great actor and it was such fun to work with him. Jon was the perfect Nick,” she says. “[He] has that innate confidence that Nick has, but also he was so good at showing the vulnerability of the character. He’s such a guy’s guy and a very talented actor. We were lucky to have him.”

In the course of the film, hearts are broken and mended, but there are no true bad guys, and Sweeney says that was intentional. “It was really important to me that Scott [David Lewis] not be the villain of the movie. Sometimes people make bad choices for themselves…that doesn’t mean Scott’s a bad guy, [he’s] just not the right guy for Sonia…or is he,” she teases. “It’s a fun bit of self-discovery for all the main characters. They all learn something about themselves along the way.”
Sweeney says it’s hard to pick a favorite scene, but she highlights two. “I love the scene after [Sonia] meets Nick and they buy coffee together on the side of the street. And the scene when Scott breaks up with her live on the radio,” she says. “Those were just amazing scenes. I can’t wait for everyone to watch [and] tell me their favorites!”

Aside from this project, Sweeney is ramping up production on the third Murder She Baked installment. “[The] second film [A Plum Pudding Mystery] will premiere on November 22nd and daytime fans will recognize a familiar face with my Days co-star Farah Fath joining us,” she says. “We’re starting filming [on the third movie in] mid-October.”

Sweeney will be back onscreen in Days as part of the 50th anniversary celebration, and she’s also been directing episodes of the long-running soap. “All I can say is that there is a lot of emotion going on, and Sami definitely comes back in full force,” she shares. “I grew up at Days with so many of the cast and crew being family, so I’m thrilled to be part of the celebration. It was so great to see everyone and I’d missed Sami, so it was great to step in her shoes one more time.”
April 2016 will mark the release of Sweeney’s next novel, and she says expanding beyond acting was a natural evolution. “I love all the different projects I pursue. Acting is something I’ve loved since I was 4 years old but, as I grew up in the industry, I found myself really wanting to expand to include other aspects of storytelling. I love directing and writing the novels, both are real passion projects. I always teach my kids to strive for more and tackle new challenges and I lead by example in following that philosophy for myself.”
In November, Sweeney will MC the City of Hope Walk for Hope in Los Angeles on November 8th. You can keep up with her through her regular updates on Twitter and Instagram. “I have the best fans and value their continued support on all my endeavors,” she explains. “To be able to communicate with them and celebrate news is just the best. I love how supportive they are and enthusiastic they are for all the upcoming projects I have.”

Love on the Air premieres Saturday at 9/8c Saturday on Hallmark Channel. [Note: As of 2020, Love on the Air is now running on Hallmark Drama.]
I really enjoyed it, and it’s the first film in a while that I rank up there with my banked DVR keepers like The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Growing the Big One, and Three Weeks, Three Kids. It was directed by Kristoffer Tabori, who’s a regular on the Hallmark circuit. Neil H. and Tippi Dobrofky (also responsible for several Hallmark films) share script credit with Soboil.
Here’s a sneak peek. All indications are that Sweeney and Scarfe will live Tweet Saturday, and Sweeney is participating in a Facebook chat ahead of the film at 8 pm/7c.
In case you missed it, check out our exclusive interview with Jonathan Scarfe.
Heather M
Related posts
Classics
George R. Olson, Tim Rozon, and Sarah Levy Talk the SurrealEstate S2 Finale
[Spoilers for the SurrealEstate Season 2 finale.] How’s everyone doing after the finale? As we close out the second season of SurrealEstate, some of our merry band of misfits are scattering to the winds–Zooey to law school, Phil to the Vatican, and Augie back to his think tank with Rochelle,…
Previewing SurrealEstate Season 2 Finale + Revisiting the Season with George R. Olson
[Warning; General spoilers ahead.] Strap in, SurrealEstate fam, because we’ve arrived at the Season 2 finale, and it’s a doozy. As we saw in the closing moments of last week’s episode, Susan is back. But because we have one more episode left, it’s not as simple as all that, as…
Tyler Hynes Talks Through His Eight-Film Hallmark Holiday Library
Things you realize when you have to re-record your shows on a new DVR – just how many Hallmark movies your people have done. Fan favorite – and one of ours – Tyler Hynes has done eight Christmas movies for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries since 2018. Alongside…
Spencer Creaghan Talks About Creating SurrealEstate’s Signature Sound
SurrealEstate is winding down its second season, with two episodes left, and just as in Season 1, Spencer Creaghan’s music continues to be a character unto itself. And every week, he shares tidbits with the fans via his s social media channels, something he started to help give them an…
Andrew Walker Talks Christmas Island and the Magical Hallmark Community
[Warning: Spoilers for Christmas Island.] Now that the Screen Actors Guild strike has been resolved, we’re able to resume regularly scheduled programming and interview our favorites and yours. Up first, earlier today, I spoke with Andrew Walker about Christmas Island, which premiered last weekend and encores tonight and through the…
George Olson and Danishka Esterhazy Talk SurrealEstate “I Put a Spell on You”
[Warning: Spoilers for the episode.] Tonight’s fun new SurrealEstate found Luke caught up in an especially bewitching woman, Kay, played by Tara Yelland, Susan trapped in her house, and Zooey learning the ropes. In the next part of my conversation with showrunner George R. Olson and producing director Danishka Esterhazy,…
Danishka Esterhazy Talks SurrealEstate: “The Butler Didn’t”
[Warning: General spoilers for the episode]. Tonight’s new SurrealEstate, “The Butler Didn’t,” follows the team as they investigate the years-earlier mysterious death of a woman whose ghost now reenacts her hanging by dropping over the banister from the second floor to terrify anyone on the landing or at the bottom…
Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders Talk the From Season 2 finale
[Warning: Spoilers for the season finale.] How’s everyone doing after that finale? While we wait and wonder and hope for a third season announcement, soon, here’s what Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders had to say about their parts of the finale, and where they hope they get to go next….
Scott McCord and Elizabeth Saunders Talk From Season 2 + A Season Finale Preview
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] It all comes down this, #FROMily. As Sunday’s episode wraps up Season 2, we begin with the aftermath of the terrifying onset of seemingly simultaneous attacks on Julie, Marielle, and Randall, which accelerate the “We gotta get out of this place” of it all. Sara comes…
Alison Sweeney Talks About What’s Next for Hannah and Mike After Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery
[Warning: Spoilers for Carrot Cake Murder.] Everybody OK after that Hannah Swensen Mystery twist? Thankfully, our favorite crime-solving couple is still on speaking term, even if they’re on a break (hopefully not that kind of break). Most importantly, we already know this isn’t the last film in the series. No…
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…