‘MURDER, SHE BAKED: JUST DESSERTS’

CAST BIOS

ALISON SWEENEY (Hannah) – For Alison Sweeney, anything is possible. She’s a successful actress, TV host, producer, director and author who constantly inspire others with her balance of career with her focus on family, health and wellness.

Sweeney remains busy filming and producing TV movies for Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Most recently, she executive produced and starred in “The Incredible Blueberry Farm” for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and this marks her fifth movie in the “Murder, She Baked” franchise. Focused on great ROMCOM projects, Sweeney also starred and executive produced “Love on the Air” for Hallmark Channel in 2015.

No stranger to the camera, Sweeney began her acting at age 4 and at age 16, she joined the cast of “.” In addition to her 21+ year career as Sami Brady, for which she earned an Emmy nomination for Best Lead Actress, Sweeney also hosted 13 seasons of NBC’s inspirational series “The Biggest Loser,” hosted numerous live television specials and made many guest starring appearances on popular television series.

She is also an accomplished author and brings her Hollywood insider’s knowledge and keen sense of romance and fun to her novels. Her latest novel, Opportunity Knocks, was released in April of 2016 and is from the perspective of a fledgling makeup artist. Her previous novels include Scared Scriptless, with a script supervisor as the lead, and The Star Attraction, based on the story of a publicist. New York Times best-selling author Jodi Picoult described Sweeney’s book as “Great fun for any reader who secretly sneaks peeks at People magazine in the checkout line at the grocery store, and wonders, What if…?”

In addition to her fiction writing, Sweeney previously released two non-fiction books, the first of which was All the Days of My Life (So Far) in 2004. In 2010, she released, The Mommy Diet, where she revealed the “diet” of nutrition, fitness and self-care that women can follow to look and feel fantastic – before and during pregnancy, and after giving birth.

Sweeney has graced the covers of most women’s magazines, including Good Housekeeping, Self, Shape, Prevention, Health and Redbook, for which she also contributes a monthly column. She also regularly appears in weekly magazines and on daytime talk shows to promote her projects and her philanthropic work as an Ambassador for Stand Up 2 Cancer and American Humane Association, the Fitness Ambassador for City of Hope and a member of the Entertainment Council for Feeding America.

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She resides in Los Angeles with her husband Dave, a California Highway Patrol officer, and their 10-year-old son Ben and 6-year-old daughter Megan. For more information on Sweeney’s tips for health, wellness, fashion and personal anecdotes, follow her on twitter at @Ali_Sweeney.

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CAMERON MATHISON (Mike) – Emmy nominated actor and television host Cameron Mathison is co-anchor of the most watched entertainment news program in the world, “Entertainment Tonight.” In addition to his work with “ET,” Mathison previously served as feature correspondent for “Good Morning America,” and “Extra,” and co-hosted the “35th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.”

Mathison has appeared on screen in both film and television and is no stranger to television movies. He has starred in multiple Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Channel Originals, including, most recently, the Hallmark Channel Original “A Christmas to Remember.” This marks Mathison’s fifth movie in the “Murder, She Baked” franchise, following “Murder, She Baked: A Deadly Recipe,” “Murder, She Baked: A Peach Cobbler Mystery,” “Murder, She Baked: A Plum Pudding Murder Mystery,” and “Murder, She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Mystery.” Additional television movie credits include Hallmark Channel’s “Holidaze,” “The Christmas Ornament,” “Window Wonderland,” “My Gal Sunday,” and “Along Came a Nanny,” as well as Lifetime’s “The Wife He Met Online” and “Any Mother’s Son,” and ABC Family’s “See Jane Date.”

In September 2007, Mathison joined the cast of ABC's hit competition series, “Dancing with the Stars” advancing all the way to Week 9. He has had several pivotal guest starring roles on top television shows, including “Hot in Cleveland,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “CSI,” “JAG,” “What I Like About You,” “F/X: The Series,” “Castle,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Hope & Faith,” and “The Exes.”

Mathison made his feature film debut in the 1998 Miramax release, 54, opposite Salma Hayek and Ryan Phillippe. He also starred in the Canadian independent film Washed Up, The Carpenter’s Miracle, The Surrogate, and the ABC Family Feature Film Home Again.

Well known for his fan-favorite role as Ryan Lavery in the daytime series “,” Mathison earned great acclaim from critics and fans alike, taking home a Award for Outstanding Male Newcomer in 1999 and Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2002 and 2004.

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Additionally, his hosting duties have included the “33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” broadcast as the show's Fan Zone host, ABC's live world premiere of Walt Disney's animated feature, “Tarzan,” SOAPnet's 2001 Daytime Emmy red carpet special and various E! “Wild On!” specials. He served as the host of SOAPnet's original reality series, “I Wanna Be a Soap Star.”

Cameron Mathison resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Vanessa, and their children, Lucas and Leila.

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BARBARA NIVEN (Beverly) – Barbara Niven is one of Hollywood’s busiest actresses and served on the National Board of Directors for the Screen Actors Guild. She has appeared in over 100 film and TV roles, plus more than 2500 TV & radio commercials. She was a series regular on Hallmark Channel’s “Chesapeake Shores” and “Cedar Cove,” and co-stars as Delores Swensen in Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ “Murder, She Baked” movie series. She has been seen in the television shows “NCIS,” “Cold Case,” “,” and as Marilyn Monroe in the TV movie “The Rat Pack.”

Niven has gained international acclaim as Hollywood’s Top Media Trainer and Video Marketing Expert. She created Unleash Your Star Power!™ to help others hone their message, make over their professional image and use video to dominate their niche. Clients include business owners, professionals, CEOs, entrepreneurs, hosts, speakers and authors. From her studio in Los Angeles, she offers custom video production services, one-on-one coaching and video Boot Camps. Her Unleash Your Star Power!™ Home Study Course is the easy, ultimate media training system. Her newest book, “111 Star Power Tips: Insider Secrets From a Hollywood Pro,” is full of professional tips and secrets for videos, TV & radio interviews and public speaking.

She is also a celebrity speaker and best-selling author. Business and motivational topics include “Unleash Your Star Power!,” “Be a Video Marketing Superstar,” “ACT As If It’s Already Happening Until It Is” and “Live Your Dreams!” She shares her struggle with bulimia in “Eating Disorders & Pressures to be Perfect,” and has appeared twice on national television talking about the pressure to be thin in Hollywood. She is profiled in the book “Feeding the Fame: Celebrities with Eating Disorders.”

Niven feels blessed to be living her crazy acting dream and is passionate about using her success to inspire and support others to achieve their own goals. She created a Dreamers Network on her Facebook page that is over 8,100 people strong. It’s an international “support group” for dreamers that offers inspiration, advice and “pay it forward” #KindnessRevolution motivation. Her motto? “Don’t settle for less than wonderful in your life. Live your passion. Connect to your purpose. Make a difference. And…don’t give up five minutes before the miracle!”

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