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?
The show has lost its heart and soul. It is silly, trite and has no class. I have been shocked that some of the classy filters are now non-existent . I am not a prude but the “family” aspect has gone out the window. I now fast forward through it, hoping it will show a glimmer of its former self but that has not happened. When I watched a segment last week about the savings one could expect from a Triple A card, I was shocked at how ill-prepared the presenter was and how it did not compare to the… Read more »
I am so very disappointed in Home & Family for letting Cristina go. I used to DVR each day and watch the entire 2 hours. I still DVR the show, but now I skim through it to only watch a DIY Dept. project, a nutritional segment with Sophie or a pet segment. No disrespect, but her replacement doesn’t hold the show like Cristina did. Just not the same show!
I do to Melissa…I only skim and watch DIY only if its something I am interested in pets, garden and not so much Sophie…but those sigments aren’t even that good anymore….gone down hill….
I no longer watch Home & Family. Without Cristina it falls flat.
I don’t watch anymore. It should be cancelled. Cristina made the show fun. Now they all seem so fake. Too Hollywood and not real America.
I don’t watch H&F since they took Christina off. I am 61 and get tired of so many people cratering to 30 something or younger and to heck with the rest of the population. I see the comercials for H&F and don’t recgonize the guests. I am also ticked that Hallmark took Ceder Cove off the air. Probably because Andie McDowell is almost 60. Hallmark has no clue that people 50 and up deserve love, romance, and respect. And the ” heart throbs/hunks” need to pick up a razor once in a while and Learn how to shave.
I am 30 something and equally saddened that Cristina left and haven’t watched since. If they were *catering* to the younger demographic, it must be even younger than me because I don’t like it either.
I use to watch it daily with an elderly lady I cared for. When Christina left (felt more like the network made her disappear with little explanation) the feel of the show changed. It became more like watching a 2hour long Good Morning America or LIVE (with who ever represents that show now) without the news. Lots of fashion and cooking stuff but very little of the crafts and arts that drew us to the show in the first place. The interviews even started to lack the intrigue they had before. It’s become more superficial and I think the crew… Read more »
I no longer watch my beloved Home and Family since Cristina left. She brought so much love and class to the program and definitely was the heart of the show. I will no longer buy anything from Hallmark. What they did was very wrong and inconsiderate. She was idolized by all ages, young and old.
I’m so glad Cristina has moved on and is blessed with a loving family.
I tried watching after they let Cristina go but she was the reason I started watching. I haven’t watched it for several weeks now.
I agree. Tried watching after she was so rudely dismissed and it’s just not interesting anymore.
I decided to stop watching the show after the way Christina was treated. Nothing against Debbie ( she is a sweetie!) but the whole tone of the show has changed . If you have a show called “Home and Family ” shouldn’t that include a variety of ages and interests? It was handled shamefully by those in charge of the show . Shame on you !!
No I will not be watching the show and stopped watching the show when I heard what they did to Christina. I feel Christina was the backbone of the show and feel that its not going to be so successful now that shes gone. Big mistake I say…
Won’t be watching the show any longer without Cristina…she’s the reason I watched in the first place!
I have watched very very little since she left. She WAS the best there. Wonder if it was because she professes her Christianity. What a mistake to fire her.
I am shocked and disappointed. I’ve been waiting for Christina’s return but sad to know she won’t be back. Debbie is ok but I can only take so much of her energy. The show seems a little skitzo now. Everyone trying to out talk each other. I miss Christina’s recipes and sound, mature advice. I now have children approaching the age of hers and I miss her wisdom. Just because kids aren’t under the age of 12 doesn’t mean parents don’t need guidance anymore. Parents of teens need more help than ever these days and I felt we got a… Read more »
I watched Home & Family because of Cristina. I admire her and I adore her for being smart, talented, beautiful, and committed to her family. I thought it was odd that the Home & Family TV show said that Cristina was on vacation, because she already had her vacation. Plus they announce those vacation things before hand. I had a feeling that they had fired Cristina and my feelings were correct. When I heard that they fired Cristina because she was old, I was appauld. I wanted to let Crisitina know how I felt about her, which I did on… Read more »
Class, dignity, fun, thoughtfulness, professionalism and humor knows no age. Christina brought all of those and so much more. “Home & Family” is now not as special, not as interesting, not as compelling as it once was. I suspect that the show will soon be whittled down to one hour as viewers continue to flee. This is an apt example of the classic admonition to not fix what is not broken.