Real-Life Couple Matthew Lawrence and Chilli Team Up for New Hallmark+ Dating Series
Hallmark is giving five couples another chance at happily ever after.
Real-life lovebirds Matthew Lawrence of Boy Meets World and TLC’s Chilli will host Second Chance Love, a new unscripted series that follows five couples, ranging in age from their 30s to their 70s, who dated in the past as they reconnect at a romantic Italian resort. It premieres January 1 on streaming service Hallmark+.
TLC’s Chilli says ‘working with Hallmark is a dream come true’
Lawrence and Chilli (whose real name is Rozonda Thomas) will guide the cast members through their unforgettable journey in Sardinia. As hosts, they’ll brings “a deeply personal, authentic perspective to the series,” according to Hallmark’s announcement.
“Working with Hallmark is a dream come true because the brand represents good quality content. I’ve always been very specific about brand alignment because representation matters in every aspect of partnership,” Chilli said. “I love what Hallmark stands for, and this project is special to Matthew and me for several reasons. As executive producers and hosts, we can’t wait to share the inspiration behind the pursuit of true love.”
In Second Chance Love, five couples will participate in a two-week journey that involves revisiting their pasts, confronting unfinished business, and rediscovering what brought them together in the first place. As they work through past issues and build new memories, they’ll see if they can rekindle the spark of old love or learn that it’s better to leave past romances behind.
“I’m here to possibly see if I can have a second chance with my high school sweetheart,” one woman says in the teaser for the show.
“Second chances, here we go,” another cast member says. “Let’s see what happens.”
“I’m not going to make the same mistake twice,” one man declares.
‘Second Chance Love’ is a Hallmark movie come to life
Reuniting with the one who got away is a familiar Hallmark trope. But it happens in real life, too, notes David Stefanou, Hallmark Media’s head of unscripted programming.
“Studies show that nearly 80% of reunited first loves stay together for years, often for life,” he said. “There’s something undeniably powerful about a love that endures, even across time and distance. It’s a theme that has defined so many of Hallmark’s most cherished stories, and with Second Chance Love, we’re bringing that magic into the real world. We’re giving couples the chance to rediscover a connection that may have never truly faded.”
Lawrence and Chilli’s own relationship story is straight out of a Hallmark movie. The pair’s meet-cute romance started in late 2022 after they connected on a flight. They became friends over several months before they took things to the next level.
“It was just real friendship, you know, for like five or six months, just talking on the phone long distance, like, getting to know each other, see each other here and there,” Lawrence told ET.
Second Chance Love premieres Thursday, January 1 on Hallmark+.
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