Why Bailee Madison Disappeared From Hallmark's Good Witch

The Hallmark Channel is mostly known for its large catalog of movies that premiere during the holidays every year, but a few shows have also gained traction on the channel. The series "Good Witch," which consists of seven seasons and 12 companion movies, became a fan-favorite franchise for Hallmark. The series starred Catherine Bell as Cassie Nightingale, and it followed her through the ups and downs of life as a witch in a small town.

One of the best parts of the series was the connection between Cassie and her daughter Grace, played by Bailee Madison. Seeing the young witch grow up and come into her own was a major part of the story, but Grace's story ended in the "Good Witch" season five finale when her character was written off and Madison exited the show. Thankfully, there was no bad blood between Madison and the series; the "Once Upon a Time" actress just felt like it was time to move on from "Good Witch" and explore other opportunities for her career.

Bailee Madison first appeared in season one of "Good Witch," suddenly a teenager after Grace had been seen as a child in multiple "Good Witch" films. Her relationship with her mom Cassie and learning how to control her magical powers is a big part of the show, as both mother and daughter deal with ups and downs surrounding their magical intuition. The duo quickly became fan favorites as viewers watched Grace grow up into a young woman, but they were shocked when Madison exited after season five. In her last episode, Grace graduates from high school and leaves Middleton to attend college. In an Instagram post, Madison opened up about what the series meant to her and why she felt it was time to leave.

"So grateful for five amazing seasons with Good Witch, the amazing cast and crew which have become like family and Hallmark Channel, who I've worked with since I was 11 years old ... I couldn't be more grateful for the new adventures ahead, and to have you all along with me on the ride as my story continues to be written, it's a thrilling one. With love, respect and gratitude, Bailee."

Though Bailee Madison left "Good Witch" as a full-time cast member after the Hallmark series' fifth season, she did make her way back to the show for a brief guest appearance in the seventh season. Mind you, when we say "brief," we mean very brief. The return of Madison's Grace Russell had been heavily teased in promotional material for "Good Witch" Season 7, Episode 3, "The Delivery." In the episode itself, which aired in May 2021, Grace's mother and series protagonist, Cassie Nightingale (Catherine Bell), is seen preparing for Grace's return home.

However, this ended up being a bit of a fake-out, as Cassie eventually gets the disappointing news that Grace won't be able to make it back after all, as she got an exciting opportunity she just couldn't pass up on (a potential nod to why Madison decided to leave the show in the first place). That being said, while an in-person reunion between Grace and Cassie wasn't meant to be, the two do end up sharing a video call over FaceTime, marking Madison's first on-screen appearance as Grace since Season 5. It would also prove to be her last, given that the show did not return for Season 8.

Though some fans of "Good Witch" were happy to see Bailee Madison return as Grace Russell at all in Season 7, many were also left wondering why her comeback ended up being as small as it was, especially given that she had been part of the show's main cast for five seasons. But Madison herself provided some answers in a post to X (then known as Twitter) shortly after the episode aired, explaining that both the manner and brevity of Grace's return were simply a reality of filming in the COVID era.

"In the world of covid that's the best we could do!!!!!" Madison wrote. She went on to explain that the FaceTime angle was something she and "Good Witch" co-star Catherine Ball came up with while the two were texting during the production of Season 7, Episode 3. "I miss my #goodwitch family so much & love my #goodies always!!!!" Madison continued, adding, "I'm sure grace & Cassie will hug in person soon!" As we know, however, an in-person reunion between the two characters ultimately didn't come to pass before "Good Witch" was canceled.

Despite the popularity of "Good Witch," the show was unexpectedly canceled by Hallmark after seven seasons in 2021. Fans, cast, and crew were all confused and saddened by the cancellation, as "Good Witch" was one of the longest-running and most popular franchises to come out of Hallmark. The series finale aired on July 25, 2021, and even though Bailee Madison had been off-screen for two seasons, she posted a sweet message on X, formerly known as Twitter, thanking the cast and crew for her memorable experience.

"Tonight marks the series finale of Good Witch and my heart is thinking of my beautiful cast and crew that I shared five wonderful years with," she said. "I feel so fortunate to have been able to bring Grace to life for five wonderful years, and am so grateful to have been a part of the joy that filled homes. Congratulations to my GW family on an incredible run. I know you guys wouldn't have ever stopped sharing magic for our #Goodies, but I'm so proud of the love you poured into our show every day. I love you all madly! Xoxox Bailee, AKA your Grace always."