Yesterday, Hallmark Channel announced that host Cristina Ferrare would be replaced as co-host by regular contributor Debbie Matenopoulos. The cable channel didn’t specify when the change would take place.
Today, co-host Mark Steines made a quick announcement that Ferrare had left the show and that Matenopoulos would be replacing her, effective immediately. Ferrare hadn’t been on the show for two weeks and didn’t return for a send-off.
Fans of the show have been concerned if Ferrare was sick and have been wondering if the decision to leave was her decision. On her Facebook page, Ferrare confirmed that she is not sick and essentially says that she was fired. She wrote:
Okay here goes, I feel it’s important to finally step up to the plate and let you know what is happening.
First may I say that my family and I have been so thankful and appreciative for all the love, support, prayers, and good wishes you have been sending me on a daily basis for the past three weeks. It pained me so that I was unable to let you know what was going on out of respect for everyone on Home and Family and the Network. I was asked to wait and I have but now I feel I should out of respect for YOU let you know.
It’s really very simple, Home and Family will have a season 5 which I am so happy for and the Network decided that they want a new co-host and that will be Debbie. She will do a great job!
You can still reach me here on facebook and we shall continue honoring love of family and friends. I truly LOVE you all. You have been my rainbow!
What do you think? Are you sorry that Ferrare is no longer a co-host on Home & Family? Will you continue to watch? Should the show be cancelled or, is Ferrare’s replacement a good idea?
PLEASE get rid of Mark Steines! PLEASE bring back Christina….she is indeed a beautiful role model for all of America and especially our families. Thank you kindly
I also do not plan to watch the show anymore. The chemistry was fabulous between Mark and Christina. She brought to the show such talents not only in hosting but also cooking and decorating
Christina Ferrari was the matriarch of the show. I loved her warm personality and she made home and family feel like Home and Family! I enjoy Debbie’s segments, but she lacks the warmth and sincerity that were hallmarks of Christina’s personality and contribution to the show. Christina… We love you and miss you terribly. So glad that you are not I’ll. I was really concerned! Now I am puzzled by hallmarks decision to let you go. You were the heart of the show and you and mark played off each other magnificently. I hope hallmark changes its plans!
I am so very upset to here about Christina being gone on the Home channel.I LOVED watching her! While the new host is OK, Christina had warmth, sincerity and class. Just read her post – Her positive comment prooves that Hallmark made a serious mistake. I WILL NOT be watching this show anymore.
Christina’s ability to ask a question that the audience would ask, will be sorely missed. The way this was handled is just one more reason not to trust the media. Don’t mean to detract from Debbie, but don’t like the way Christiana was dismissed w/o so much as a “thank you”. Didn’t you believe she could be gracious on a final appearance?
Hallmark Channel is turning into one of the old network channels. They cancel shows for no good reason and get rid of good people. There is so much that could be said here, but many have said it. Cristina knows how to cook. She has been in the industry for a long time and has the professionalism necessary to be a great host. Big Mistake! I was living through the show because I thought Cristina was coming back. It was a good show…pretty hard to watch now. So long Hallmark Channel.
Wow, I had been wondering where Christina was. I thought see might have been sick therefore I had been praying, but felt something more was going on. Kept on waiting to see when she will be back or hear something on the show about her lack of presence. Today I went on-line and googled where is Christina on Home & Family to see disappointing news. The show is not the same anymore. It is definately missing her presence and her sense of humor. It’s just not the same. I have not watched several shows because of her absence. Very disappointing… Read more »
I will not be watching the show anymore. I love the Hallmark channel, but this replacement was a very bad idea and to not recognize her, shame on you. If you are going for a different demographic, good luck with that. You will be missed Christina!
I hate that everyone we come to love is replaced by a newer younger version. I am not watching the show any longer I have better things to do
That’s the new HALL MARKET FOR US
I wasnt able to watch the show for a few weeks. I missed it so much. Then I was able to get back to my former work hours letting me get back to the show. Firstly let me say Debbie is a remarkable girl and can be a terrific co host anywhere. But when I found out Debbie wasnt just covering for Christinas’ vacation ….and essentially Christina just dissapeared without so much as a “so long” I knew there was trouble and I finally found out that she was fired. WHAT THUNDERHEAD would replace such an elegant woman as Christina… Read more »
Christina was a wonderful, gracious host on Home and Family . However, Debbie also has an energy about her that is interesting and engaging . I feel she has a strong rapport with Mark and I enjoy watching their banter. Debbie is very appealing to me as a viewer in my forties. Change is inevitable , and Christina will be missed . I hope she will return to the show on occasion for guest segments. I’m sure she will continue to have an exciting career ahead.
I will really miss Christina. Debbie is good as a contributor, but not as a co-host. There is a big gap in the family, and I find myself getting bored by the show, when previously i was always engaged. I would hope the firing was not due to her age or that she was not s skinny model!
want to know what happened ….. Hallmark you are not the quality network I thought you were …. bad move …. Cristina balanced Mark …. made people feel easy …. Debbie is nice but too strong for a personality for this type of show … I have no desire to watch it anymore … good luck Cristina
I sure am disappointed in Hallmark .First they take off “The Waltons”, a good and wholesome family show. And now they screw up Home & Family by taking away the most central part of the show. Cristina was the “Mother” of the show.She was the sweet, kind and gentle loving piece of that show. And now she is gone and all of that is gone. So 2 times in one year Hallmark has taken away people that I admire. I tried to watch the show now for a couple of days – boring and bland. Not much like a family… Read more »
Not happy with the change. Christine made the show. Better connection with her and Mark. I liked the way they were together on the show. Not the same with the new Co host . It feels like it is lacking something. I have not been watching as much. I tried but I really miss seeing Mark & Christine together. They had a different vibe that made the show enjoyable to watch. Not so much now.