Lori Loughlin Reportedly In Secret Talks To Return To ‘Fuller House’ For Final Season

Lori Loughlin could still have a career after her arrest in relation to the explosive college admissions scandal. While Loughlin was fired by the Hallmark Channel and obliterated from Where Calls the Heart episodes after it was reported that she and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, allegedly paid $500,00 in bribes to get their daughters, Isabella and Olivia Jade, admitted to USC, her Fuller House family has not turned their backs on her.

Now, an insider tells Radar Online that Lori Loughlin could return to the Netflix hit for its fifth and final season later this year, despite widespread talk that she has been fired from the show.

“Publicly, the producers have said nothing about Lori and her situation over the bribery scandal. They have also not ever said she wasn’t returning to the show either.”

The insider added that Lori Loughlin is “beloved” by the entire cast and production team on of Fuller House and that Netflix execs also love her.

Loughlin’s Fuller House “comeback” would reportedly not take place in front of a studio audience. Instead, the Radar insider says Loughlin “would secretly film her scenes with other cast members,” but not with a live audience present, for a total of four episodes.

“Filming would not happen until later this summer, and producers hope all the controversy surrounding Loughlin will have died down by the time the episodes air later this year and they will have a ratings bonanza with Aunt Becky back on the show.”

The insider also added that Loughlin’s TV husband John Stamos and other Fuller House cast members have all gone to bat for Lori and that they all “really like” this private filming idea in lieu of writing the Aunt Becky character out of the show.

Indeed, while Loughlin’s Fuller House co-stars have not publicly spoken about her legal woes, they have shown their support for her in other ways.

After Fuller House won the Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Funny TV show last month, series stars Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber seemingly referenced Loughlin in their acceptance speech, as previously shared by The Inquisitr. Bure told the crowd that “family sticks together no matter what,” and that they support, encourage, pray, and stand by their side “no matter how tough it gets.”

Fuller House star Bob Saget has also professed his love for Loughlin without commenting on her alleged involvement in the college scam.

But despite her co-stars’ love and support for her, multiple reports by TV Line and other entertainment sites insist there are no plans to bring Lori Loughlin back as Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis during the Full House spinoff’s farewell season. Show insiders have also noted that Loughlin’s departure would not impact the production of Fuller House because filming has not yet started on the final season of the Netflix comedy. Loughlin is only a recurring guest star and not a series regular on the sitcom, so her absence would not be as noticeable as that of a main cast member.

Loughlin debuted the role of Aunt Becky during the original run of Full House in 1988 during the show’s second season, before reprising the role nearly 30 years later on Netflix’s Fuller House. But after she became embroiled in the college admissions scam —for alleged crimes that could land her in jail for up to 40 years if she’s convicted of all charges against her —a well-placed show source told Deadline her days as a Tanner family member are done.

“She’s toast, it’s over,” the Fuller House source said of Lori Loughlin.

Fuller House will return to Netflix for its final season later this year.