It’s the news all Virgin River season 6 fans have been waiting for as Netflix has unveiled

who will be playing the roles of Mel Monroe’s (Alexandra Breckenridge) parents –

and they’ve been perfectly casted. After it was revealed that Virgin River season 6

would arrive on the best streaming service in late 2024, one of the best Netflix shows is now welcoming two new residents to the sleepy town as Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day) and Callum Kerr (One Piece) will join the sixth series as a young version of Mel’s parents, Sarah and Everett Reid.

As well as Mel and Jack Sheridan’s (Martin Henderson) upcoming weddings, Sarah and Everett will appear in the series through flashbacks as they meet and fall in love in the 1970s. First look images released by Tudum show the lovers in 1972, with Sarah described as: “a witty, free spirit from the big city with an ardent passion for activism, who is trying to avoid the conventional and traditional life of a young woman in the ’70s.”

Sarah shares an instant spark with Everett, “a handsome and freewheeling singer-songwriter with a poet’s soul” who will one day pursue his dreams of being on stage and is currently sailing through life in a VW van. However, a chance encounter with a beautiful hitchhiker may show him there’s more to life.

How do Sarah and Everett fit into Virgin River season 6?

The present-day version of Everett (John Allen Nelson) was introduced in the Christmas special, but Sarah has not been seen on the show – until now.

In Virgin River season 5 part 1, Mel’s sister Joey discovered a man’s love letters to their mother who turned out to be Mel’s biological father. In Virgin River season 5 part 2, Mel and her fiancé Jack went on a mission to find the mystery man which eventually led them to Virgin River resident Everett. Initially, he didn’t want anything to do with her, but he eventually came round and wished to have a relationship with his long-lost daughter in true holiday spirit.

The cliff-hanger ending saw Everett reveal that he had “something important” to tell her, which is set to be revealed in Virgin River season 6. Showrunner Patrick Sean-Smith teased to Deadline that we would find out more about Sarah and Everett’s romance in the upcoming series.

“What we’re exploring more in season 6 is who Everett Reid is, what his backstory is, what his connection to Virgin River was when he met her mom and then also what it is today.” He added that season 6 will also explore the “relationship of Everett with the town as well as Everett and Mel.”

Mel’s parents are also set to be the focus of a rumored Virgin River prequel that’s currently in early development. The prequel will expand the Virgin River universe as it tells the love story between Sarah and Everett.