It’s the most magical time of the year. Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas, of course. From October to January, the feel-good network offers us a 24/7 escape from the real world through all things holly and cheerful. We’re anticipating the reveal of the annual cornucopia of festive movies and which actors from the Hallmark universe will be teaming up this year.

Jingle Bell run brings together two juggernauts of this world, Ashley Williams and Andrew Walker. Williams plays Avery, a teacher whose sister has secretly signed her up for a reality TV show that will force her to step outside her comfort zone. Walker plays Wes, a former professional hockey player, who has signed up for the same show in an attempt to maintain his declining celebrity status.

The show they signed up for is a fast-paced, holiday-themed scavenger hunt across the country and combines these two seeming opposites. If you are a fan of The great breedthen this is the Hallmark movie for you.

The challenges for each round of the competition require both brains and brawn and it turns out that the retired hockey player and the primary school teacher make the perfect pair. We see this duo stomping grapes, shooting hockey pucks, solving crossword puzzles and of course falling in love.

But all those challenges for the reality show? To capture them on camera, Walker and Williams had to be in top form. Even because this pair of physically fit actors are both former athletes, fitness had to be paramount during filming.

“I came to the set and I stretched before I would come and settle down. I would do a light workout. I have to do it every morning, it just gets my mind right. But I was preparing for my training all day,” Walker said Southern life.

The father of two has skied all his life and played both hockey and football in his youth. He still plays hockey with friends today, and he and his wife Cassandra even founded the Little West juice company. Health and fitness have always been central to Walker’s life, but he admits this is one of the most physically demanding roles he has played to date.

“All we did was run. Every day. Up stairs, through courtyards in the city. Running in and out of restaurants. Along highways. It was just constant running. Ashley, what people don’t know, is an incredible runner. She used to run competitively. I was always trying to catch up with Ashley. She’s hardcore.”

He continued, “Everything you see on camera quadruples that and that was what we did behind the scenes because not every little part of that makes the film and so we would have to do every take about ten times. so we were so physically exhausted at the end of the day. But the great thing about this project is that it took you out of your head. It wasn’t that technical.”

Walker noted that this film relies much more on action than other films he has made. “It’s a lot of physical comedy between Ashley and I, and I fed off her energy. She’s just a ball of energy who is also incredibly talented and smart in her comedic timing, so I just fed off of her. I love working with these very strong women like Ashley and Nikki (DeLoach)”

Hallmark fans will, of course, remember that Walker stars opposite Nikki DeLoach in the Curious caterer movies. And while talking about working with strong female leaders, he said: “Lucy Guest, the director, who we definitely have to give a shoutout to, she was the first female director I ever worked with, believe it or not in more than thirty years that I have been doing this work.

But for the veteran actor, playing the role of a professional hockey player in a way fulfilled a lifelong dream. As a Canadian, he joked that you are actually born with a hockey stick in your hand and the baby uniform of the team of the city where you were born. So when we play Wes, the former NHL star, “it’s the dream I’ve never been able to pursue before,” he said.

“When I was about 12 years old, I had to choose between continuing with hockey or skiing because I was outgrowing my equipment so quickly and my father gave me the ultimatum. And I chose to ski instead of play hockey.”

Don’t miss all the action Jingle Bell run. This one is a must-see this season and premieres November 16 on the Hallmark Channel.