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Entertainment
Claire Crick

Virgin River season 6: release date, trailer, cast, new arrivals, plot and everything we know

Jack and Mel in Virgin River season 6.

Virgin River season 6 is coming to Netflix and not only do we finally have a release date but we also know the new season will see Jack and Mel finally tie the knot. 

Virgin River season 4 ending 4 saw Jack plan a romantic proposal for Mel and despite enduring a heartbreaking miscarriage and battling a forest fire in Virgin River season 5 our favourite couple are set to exchange vows at last in the new series. 

While the last season answered the burning question of who is the father of Charmaine's twins? Another cliffhanger sent fans wild after it ended with a shocking revelation —  who is Mel's father in Virgin River?

Virgin River season 5 part 1 saw the residents face a terrifying wildfire that threatened to burn down the town, all the while Mel and Jack were grieving from her devastating miscarriage. Other storylines that were also featured were Hope McCrea's recovery, Doc Mullins' diagnosis, an unexpected pregnancy, a surprise romance and Brie Sheridan and Brady's relationship.

Meanwhile, Virgin River season 5 part 2 fast-forwarded from the Labor Day finale to Christmas, which saw Mel Monroe search for her long-lost father who she only knew by his pen name "Champ".

There's good news is Virgin River season 6 is nearly here and there's also a Virgin River prequel in the works!

Mel Monroe and Jack Sheridan in Virgin River. (Image credit: Netflix )

Virgin River season 6 release date

Virgin River season 6 will arrive on Netflix on Thursday, December 19 and we also know that the new season will have 10 episodes. 

It is yet to be revealed if all 10 episodes will arrive in one go, or if they will be split into two parts like season 5. We will update this guide as soon as it is announced. 

Showrunner Patrick Sean Smith has revealed he wouldn't do another holiday special in season 6 as he told Deadline: "It’s sort of, been there done that, and I feel like we did it in a big way that I wouldn’t even know where to start to explore.”

The release date announcement came with some new images on the show's social media, which you can see below... 

Is there a trailer for Virgin River season 6?

Yes! A new Virgin River season 6 trailer is finally here and it was well worth the wait. It recaps Jack proposing to Mel which we saw in season 4, and teases what we can expect from the couple's romantic spring wedding in the new season... 

Virgin River season 6 episodes

The episode titles for the new series have leaked, giving eagle-eyed fans a chance to try to work out potential plotlines. 

The episode titles are as followed (although we don't know the order): "Brothers & Sisters", "Ghosts", "Going Overboard", "Hope Springs Eternal", "I Climbed a Mountain and I Turned Around", "Love Story", "Prelude to a Kiss", "The Big Day", "The Broken Places" and "The Jury's Out".

Virgin River season 6 cast

L-R: Hope, Doc, Denny, Lizzie, Jack and Mel. (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)

We have two new cast members arriving for the new series as young versions of Mel Monroe's parents, Sarah and Everett Reid, join the show. 

While Everett (John Allen Nelson) was introduced in the Christmas special, we haven't met Sarah yet. However, the two characters will be young versions of Mel's parents with Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day, Chicago P.D.) and Callum Kerr (Monarch, Hollyoaks) appearing in a series of flashbacks as we discover how they met back in the 70s.

Jessica Rothe as Sarah and Callum Kerr as Everett. (Image credit: Netflix )

According to Tudum: "Seen in flashbacks mostly set in or around 1972, Sarah is a witty, free spirit from the big city with an ardent passion for activism, who is trying to avoid the conventional life of a young woman in the ’70s. Always up for an adventure, she can’t help chasing an instant spark with a handsome musician that might just be her star-crossed soulmate. 

"That maybe soulmate is Everett, a handsome and freewheeling singer-songwriter with a poet’s soul. One day he’ll pursue his dreams of the stage, but for now, he’s skimming through life in a VW van, until a chance meeting with a beautiful hitchhiker may just show him there’s more to life than he ever thought possible."

Jessica Rothe as Sarah and Callum Kerr as Everett. (Image credit: Netflix )

Tudum announced that the majority of our Virgin River favorites will return, including: Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel Monroe, Martin Henderson as Jack Sheridan, Tim Matheson as Doc Mullins, Annette O'Toole as Hope McCrea, Benjamin Hollingsworth as Brady, Sarah Dugdale as Lizzie, Colin Lawrence as John "Preacher" Middleton, Zibby Allen as Brie Sheridan and Lauren Hammersley as Charmaine Roberts.

Others that are likely to return are Marco Grazzini as Mike Valenzuela, Kai Bradbury as Denny Cutler, Mark Ghanimé as Dr. Cameron Hayek, Teryl Rothery as Muriel, Nicola Cavendish as Connie, Gwynyth Walsh as Jo Ellen and Jenny Cooper as Joey Barnes. 

Kandyse McClure will also return as firefighter Kaia Bryant as showrunner Patrick Sean Smith teased that we can expect some “new directions” for Preacher, Brady and Kaia. 

He revealed: “Brady will be volunteering at the Virgin River fire station under Fire Chief Kaia, who is pulled into Preacher’s past sins. Also this season we’ll be surprised by some returning favorites from the past.” 

John Allen Nelson is also confirmed to be starring in the new season as Mel's biological dad Everett Reid after he shared an eagerness to have a relationship with Mel in the finale.

Smith also spoke to Deadline in November 2023 and teased that there will be returning villains in the next series. So we can guess that David Cubitt will be back as Calvin, after it was revealed that he was the father of Charmaine's twins, as well as his former right-hand man, Jimmy (Ian Tracey).

Casting is reportedly underway for actors to play a young Everett and Mel's mom Sarah in Virgin River season 6.

Virgin River season 6 plot

Mel's dad Everett Reid in Virgin River. (Image credit: Netflix)

An official plot synopsis hasn't yet been revealed but showrunner Patrick Sean Smith teased all about his plans for season 6 in an interview with Deadline.

The first episode will see a time jump from season 5's holiday special, "Father Christmas" where Mel's dad reveals that he has something important to tell her.

He shared: "We do intend to do another time jump from the holidays to when Season 6 starts so we can anticipate a bit of a time jump. I don’t know exactly how many months but it won’t be a direct pickup from the holidays."

Patrick added that we will discover what important information Everett has to tell Mel, saying: "We’ll find out what he says. But then we’ll have a jump in some way."

Also in season 6, Patrick "promises more Mel and Jack, reveals Doc’s prognosis, shares whether Paige would be back and hints at how long Lizzie would be pregnant on the show."

And as for Mel's dad Everett, Patrick hinted whether he will be a part of Mel's life in season 6.

He said: "I don’t know as far as in what capacity, but he will [join]. It is a big thing that we’re exploring in Season 6. It just felt like an opportunity for a character who hasn’t had a living parent in her life; getting to see Mel with a living parent has been fun to explore. And also just finding another way that Mel is attached to this town in a bigger, universal, fated sort of way; that she was always meant to come to this place for many reasons."

Patrick also said that they will be exploring Everett's backstory and what his connection to Virgin River was when he met Mel's mom, Sarah.

Deadline have also revealed that season 6 will provide a glimpse into Everett and Sarah's past, with a young Everett and Sarah featuring in flashbacks.

But there's one thing he can promise and that's “babies and wedding bells are never off the table on Virgin River.” 

He gave us a glimpse into Mel and Jack's future, saying to Tudum: “Mel and Jack will advance on their path to parenthood while also turning Lilly’s farm into their ultimate dream home."

Kandyse McClure returns as Kaia Bryant in the new season. (Image credit: Courtesy of Netflix)
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