THE Hallmark Channel says it will reinstate same-sex marriage commercials that it had pulled from the TV network.

Hallmark Cards CEO Mike Perry said in a statement that pulling the commercials “was the wrong decision”.

An ad for wedding planning site Zola features two brides kissing at the altar.

The network pulled the ads for the Zola website following a complaint from the conservative group One Million Moms.

A Hallmark spokesperson previously told the Associated Press that the network pulled the ads because the controversy was creating a distraction.

Molly Biwer, senior vice president for public affairs and communications at Hallmark, said: “The debate surrounding these commercials on all sides was distracting from the purpose of our network, which is to provide entertainment value.

“The Hallmark brand is never going to be divisive. We don’t want to generate controversy, we’ve tried very hard to stay out of it… we just felt it was in the best interest of the brand to pull them and not continue to generate controversy.”

A BoycottHallmark hashtag was trending on Twitter at one point, and celebrities including Ellen DeGeneres, William Shatner and Sandra Bernhard blasted the decision on Twitter.

Ellen DeGeneres asked Hallmark: “Isn’t it almost 2020? What are you thinking? Please explain. We’re all ears.”

Ms Biwer said a conservative group, One Million Moms, part of the American Family Association, had complained about the ads to Bill Abbott, CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, Hallmark’s parent company.

A post on the group’s website said that Mr Abbott “reported the advertisement aired in error”.

The group also wrote: “The call to our office gave us the opportunity to confirm the Hallmark Channel will continue to be a safe and family-friendly network.”

Zola had submitted six adverts, four of which featured a lesbian couple.

After Hallmark pulled those ads, but not two featuring only opposite-sex couples, Zola pulled its remaining ads, the company said.

“The only difference between the commercials that were flagged and the ones that were approved was that the commercials that did not meet Hallmark’s standards included a lesbian couple kissing,” said Mike Chi, Zola’s chief marketing officer.

“All kisses, couples and marriages are equal celebrations of love and we will no longer be advertising on Hallmark,” he said.

Actress Sandra Bernhard, who played one of the first openly bisexual characters on network TV in Roseanne also criticised Hallmark’s decision.

“All the groovy gay ladies I know won’t be watching your Christmas schlock,” she wrote on Twitter, addressing Hallmark.

“They’ll be out celebrating with their “families”, wives, children, friends on & on & getting married in chic ensembles. Didn’t you all get the memo? Family is all inclusive.”

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