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 loved loved loved Home and Family, but now I have tried my best to watch the show and its just not the same happy family I once loved…I am retired and I want to see things for us older folks not these young things that us retirees have no idea who they are nor do we want to know….I love the craft shows, gardening, cooking….and interviews with some of the older crowds…anyway I just feel like its over for Home and Family…I wish them all good luck, but found something else I like to watch and won’t be returning….Cristina… Read more »
I think the thing that bothers me the most is that I actually believed the cast were really friends. From what I can tell they turned their back on Cristina. On social media they are acting strange and very defensive to any fans who are upset. I no longer watch because it is not the same show anymore.
I completely agree with you! I believed they were friends too and it still upsets me that Mark lied to us, Debbie coldly accepted the cohost position,and the other “family members” act like it’s business as usual. What happened to strength in numbers and standing up for the right thing when one of your own is being mistreated? This show was special and it still makes me sad to think about what the viewers lost. For the first time since they announced Cristina wasn’t returning, I watched the show on Friday, August 12, since Debbie finally wasn’t on and Jenni… Read more »
I dont Mark willingly lied…but that was what the show had him do…blame the producer not Mark..and i do agree the show seems to have taken a turn for the worse…so many different cooks..cuz Debbie isnt very knowledgeable about the kitchen..unless its greek food…
While I do blame the producer and the network for the decision they made, Mark is the one that lied to all of us regarding Cristina’s vacation for almost three weeks! Whether or not they asked him to lie to the viewers or not, he chose to go along with it. He always claimed Cristina and he were friends or was that a lie, too?
I no longer watch Home and Family. Cristina was the star of the show and was the reason that I watched it. Being 64 years old myself, I appreciated Cristina’s point of view and her special quality that she added to the show. Shame on the producers of Home and Family for terminating Cristina in the such a distasteful manner.
I’m completely disappointed in Cristina no longer being on the show. I painfully watched the first 2 weeks thinking she was off work and would be back any day….all before I found out she was permanently gone. I was pissed I waisted 2 weeks struggling thru the show without her. She’s so down to earth, genuine and sincere…and the show now seems very one dimensional, flat and insincere. I can’t turn the show off fast enough now when it starts.
I loved watching Christina but this Debbie person does not come close to Christina. I am not going to watch it anymore. I don’t like the way they did her they should’ve done it better
I was shocked that Cristina was let go from Home & Family. She made that show what the title was ‘Home&Family’. She brought such warmth and love and fun to the show. I no longer choose to watch the show. Debbie was good in her short segments but I don’t care for her as a co host. You lost a viewer.
H&F was once a show that I looked forward to every single weekday! I no longer watch. The thrill is gone! Love you Cristina & miss you!
don’t watch anymore since Christina is gone..
I, too, miss Christina enormously. I have tried to watch the “newer version of this show”, but it rings hollow when they start talking about what a tight knit family they are. How can the “beloved mother” of the show be dismissed ‘mysteriously’ and the others have to pretend she was never there. This home and family breaks my heart.
I absolutely LOVED Home and Family and the reason was Christina! She gave me a feeling of warmth and happiness .The only way I would ever be happy and want to watch again is if she were to come back.I get so angered when execs decide what WE want to see :/ Isn’t it a “No brainier” that if the show is doing so good LEAVE IT ALONE. They have ruined a beautiful thing. I don’t want Mark & Kym & the others to suffer for it, that’s the sad part but I can not watch and enjoy it anymore.… Read more »
Bad idea, have not watched since Cristina went on “vacation” just not the same without her energy. Debbie and the rest of the family are wonderful, but the way it was with Cristina made it all work. I have heard age was a factor in the replacement, very wrong. There are quite a few of us that are not Deb’s age. I have actually quit watching Hallmark and purchasing Hallmark products.
No, I don’t watch anymore. The idiots must be in charge. Christina MADE that show. She was perfect – charming, intelligent and beautiful. Shame on you Hallmark Channel!
I don’t watch anymore as I was a fan of Christina’s . It has a different feel so no more H&F for me!
I guess you all were looking to attract a younger audience. I have news for you, they are all working, busy with their children, etc., at the time of day this is on. Your audience is mostly women of a certain age who find Cristina interesting, active, hopeful, warm, supportive with a pleasant voice and personality. We ARE your audience, like it or not, and when the younger audience does start watching, surprise, they will be the age we are now, Debbie will be older and once again you will change (assuming you’re still around) hosts and lose your older… Read more »
I can’t watch it without Cristina….she was the reason I watched in the first place..I miss her.
I will not watch anything from hallmark again. I loved it but letting Cristina go because of her age??? I know Debbie is her friend however she does not posses the experience or family feeling that Cristina gave the show. Hallmark is a big disappointment I thought they stood for family and values. What they did was cruel and ruthless