LIFE & CULTURE

Season 5 Of ‘Virgin River’ Has Already Started Filming — Here’s What We Know

We're hoping it answers the endless questions season 4 left us with.

Warning: Spoilers for Virgin River season 4 ahead 

Nothing soothes the soul quite like Virgin River, which is why fans are already awaiting the next instalment of the show (even though season 4 only dropped yesterday). Luckily, we know a fifth season is coming, as the series was renewed for two more seasons after the third dropped in July 2021. 

Despite the cosy little town of Virgin River having a fairly laidback reputation, the drama happening within the town is anything but. Season four brought all kinds of explosive drama, and in typical fashion, left viewers with a cliff-hanger that’ll have us on the edge of our seats for months. 

Now, we know that season 5 will premiere on September 7, 2023. So, we don’t have to wait too long to find out the fate of our favourite characters. Showrunners also confirmed that we would be getting a season six, which was music to the ears for fans of the show. 

Below, everything we know about Virgin River season 5. 

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Who will star in Virgin River season 5? 

The show wouldn’t exist without a few key people, so we know that Alexandra Breckenridge (Mel) and Martin Henderson (Jack) will definitely be returning for season 5, alongside Tim Matheson (Doc) and Annette O’Toole (Hope).

A season five table read on Instagram has also revealed that the following cast members will be returning. 

  • Mark Ghanimé – Cameron Hayek
  • Benjamin Hollingsworth – Brady
  • Colin Lawrence – Preacher
  • Zibby Allen – Brie
  • Marco Grzzini – Mike
  • Keith MacKechnie – Nick
  • Gwynyth Walsh – Jo Ellen
  • Nicola Cavendish – Connie
  • Jenny Cooper – Joey
  • Kai Bradbury – Denny
  • Teryl Rothery – Muriel
  • Chase Petriw – Christopher
  • Sarah Dugdale – Lizzie
  • Trevor Lerner – Bert
  • Emma Oliver – Young Mel
  • Christina Jastzembska – Lydie

What is the plot of Virgin River season 5? 

At the end of season three, a paternity test confirmed that the father of Mel’s unborn was actually Jack and not her late husband. On top of that, Charmaine, Jack’s ex who is pregnant with his twins is discovered by Mel and Jack, lying on the floor in pain. She then confesses that Jack isn’t actually the father of her babies.

Season five will surely provide some clarity on the situation, like who the real father of Charmaine’s babies is and why she lied. We’re also hoping to see Jack and Mel finally walk down the aisle now that they’re engaged. However, Mel has been slowly developing a bond with the town’s new doctor, Cameron, and it’s clear that his feelings for her definitely aren’t platonic, so this could potentially throw a spanner in the works. 

Season three also saw Hope get in a massive car accident, and given that she spent most of season four recovering, we imagine the next season will (hopefully) see her make a full recovery now that she’s agreed to get proper treatment. 

Brie’s sexually abusive ex, Don, reappears in season four and attempts to coerce her into signing an NDA, but she refuses and tells him she’ll be pressing charges. The fallout of this will definitely be explored in season five. 

In a heartbreaking moment, Doc reveals to Lizzie that he doesn’t want to get romantically involved with her because he “doesn’t have a future” and has been diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, so we’re anxious to see what happens here. 

Finally, in a major bombshell moment, season four reveals that crime boss Melissa Montgomery is actually the sister of Nick, Jack’s glamping business investor. Given this means that Jack has now involved himself in criminal activity, we anticipate his business will take some kind of a hit. 

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What is the release date of Virgin River season 5? 

Excitingly, we know that filming has been underway for season 5 for a while. On July 19 2022, Breckenridge took to her Instagram Stories to reveal that it was day one of filming season five.

Historically, the show has kept a fairly consistent release schedule, with the rough gap lasting around  8-12 months, so fans had hoped to be seeing the series in the first half of 2023.

As revealed in an Instagram live hosted by Breckenridge, Henderson, and Allen, season 5 will consist of 12 episodes, each lasting around 40-50 minutes.

However, in May 2023, showrunners revealed that season five wouldn’t premiere until September 7, 2023. However, to soothe the wait for the new series, they also confirmed that they have approval for a season six of the show. Hoorah! 

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