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?
I don’t watch the show as much, the whole feel of the show is so different, I loved Christina
bring Cristina back with daughter Alex. lose Mark.
the show is horrible now. Mark is terrible and annoying with his “its Thoisday” .
I am sad that Cristina Ferrare is gone from Home and Family on Hallmark Channel!! She is wonderful! The others are great too but Cristina was an outstandingly great host! She is and will be greatly missed
Age discrimination in action.
This is very very disappointing!!! Cristina was great on the show and will be missed. I Probally won’t be watching this show anymore. I do feel like Debbie betrayed Cristina as a dear friend by accepting her position. Also I feel that Mark and some of Cristina’s other supposed very good friends on the show should have had her back and walked out with her!!!!!!!!!!
Didn’t really like Debbie on the view & I just don’t like her on Home & Family! Christina felt like everybody’s Mom, Sister, or family member. Debbie seems to try too hard, one minute she’s crying then laughing it’s just bizzare! I try to watch but it’s a train wreck!
I watched the show because of Christina– she gave a great perspective from her life experiences, cooking talent and age. She was a nice complement to Mark and they had a great chemistry. Debbie and Mark don’t have it. Since she left, it doesn’t have the same quality and interest it did before, so I don’t watch it. It’s a shame– it WAS a hit.
I loved watching the Hallmark channel, now it just isn’t the same.
I am so sorry to see Christina leave she was the heart of the show. She made you feel like part of the family. She has so much more class than Debbie has.
Debbie talks way to much. She interrupts the guess when they are cooking.
Christiana is such a warm and welcoming host she makes every one feel so comfortable. Someone made a big mistake.
really miss christina, did not know what happened until i checked er site..she was so good as a host missing her while i thought she must be on vacation, now i am saddened i will not be seeing her on the show anymore. god bless you and i hope to see you again.
When is wrong considered right? Christina IS Hallmark, inside and out! I say right on to Christina for her beliefs, shame on those who can’t respect her….. Debbie is too annoying for her to be on the entire show…. Everyone is talking all at the same time, and Debbie has to upstage them all…..don’t try so hard, relax, show some class…..
Pretty hard to show class when you don’t have it. She is too young to even appreciate what class is. I always had Home and Family on auto record so I would not miss any episodes while at work. I won’t be watching anymore so took it off of auto record.
I will not watch the show anymore. What you did to Christina , who was so faithful the the Hallmark Channel is not acceptable to me. Lets me and others know you are not a family show and can’t be trusted.
I watched Home & Family every day & thought Cristina Ferrare was awesome
and had such an easy & refreshing personality & wit. She had the gift of making you feel that you was at her home. What a loss! It saddens me that she was removed.
It’s not like I don’t like Debbie, but I much preferred Christina. She made the show
So sorry to see that Cristina will no longer be on the show. Thought she was just on vacation or a family leave of some kind. Had been checking and when she was not there I flipped the channel now I won’t even do that. No, I will no longer watch the show. Best regards to Cristina!