'Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery.' Starring Alison Sweeney & Cameron Mathison, Is Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' Most-Watched Movie Ever

Cameron Mathison and Alison Sweeney star Murder, She Baked:
A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery.

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries hit a high note over the weekend with the Saturday, May 2nd premiere of Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery marking the network's most-watched and highest-rated movie debut in network history, with a 1.6 HH rating and 1.1 million total viewers. The movie was also part of the network's most-watched week of all time. Additionally, Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery becomes Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' most social movie premiere on Twitter, generating the highest unique audience of any new original in network history.

The film stars Daytime Emmy nominated actress and TV host Alison Sweeney (Sami, Days of our Lives), alongside Daytime Emmy nominated star Cameron Mathison (ex-Ryan, All My Children) and Barbara Niven (Peggy, Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove; ex-Liz, One Life to Live).

The ratings come on the heels of a record breaking 4th quarter for the network across all key demos in Total Day and Primetime. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has been on a winning streak since its September 29th rebrand from Hallmark Movie Channel, with the network registering increases in delivery of 18% among total viewers and 19% among households for 4th quarter 2014 - 1st quarter 2015 over the same period a year ago.

"Since the network's rebrand last fall, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is resonating more strongly than ever with viewers, as evidenced by the runaway success of Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery," said Michelle Vicary, executive vice president, programming & network publicity. "With top notch talent like Alison Sweeney and Cameron Mathison as well as 14 more new originals premiering throughout the rest of the year -- including another installment in the Murder, She Baked movie franchise -- we anticipate that growing excitement and awareness around the network will continue to drive ratings and delivery."

Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery centers on free spirited Hannah Swensen (Alison Sweeney), an expert baker who becomes a culinary detective when her shop, the Cookie Jar, becomes the scene of a crime, just as she is caught in a romantic mystery of her own. Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery is based on the New York Times bestselling book "Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder" by Joanne Fluke.

Sweeney will be returning to Days of our Lives for a visit later this year.

Source: Nielsen, April 27 - May 3, 2015.