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?
No Cristina, no show!! Cristina was so respectful, so heartfelt, so classy! No, I will no longer watch Home & Family because without Cristina it has LOST that title!!! Hallmark what were you thinking? Oh, you weren’t! If you look up executive producers, Woody Fraser is no longer listed! Didn’t he create this show??? Shame on you Hallmark! So so sad.
I too am sorry that Christina is not on the show anymore. She was pretty classy. I struggle just watching the commercials with DM. I don’t know the reasons behind Christina leaving. If it was age shame on hallmark. If there were other reasons maybe they are being kind and not mentioning them. I don’t know. Personally I feel that DM needs some training in order to proceed with her career. Her voice just doesn’t have the richness and quality of Christina’s. Silliness and funny are to separate things and I don’t think the audience wants silly. I wonder what… Read more »
I’ve tried to watch since Christina left but it’s been difficult. Debbie may be doing her best but she is just not there yet. At times it’s hard to watch because she is talking over the guests. Christina brought a certain polish and class. The network/producers may be going for a younger crowd but this is not the type show the young ones watch. Quite frankly, I feel like I’ve been aged out of the show. Not enjoyable anymore. I used to watch daily. It’s been over a month since I felt the need to tune in. To the network/producers… Read more »
Without Christina the show is terrible. Debbie is the worst person they could have chosen! Please don’t talk about being Greek again! We all know you’re Greek Debbie. You don’t have to continue to tell in that loud annoying voice. And Mark is acting so juvenile it’s imbarrassing. I’m watching Hoda & Kathie now. Christina was the show!
My husband is Greek, and I am through marriage. Someone who has to constantly state their nationality on t.v. Is attention seeking. It’s like the Mexican woman on “The Kitchen stating she is Mexican. Who cares. My husband makes better Mexican food than what she made. I turned in to H & F for the first time in ages. Ed Begley Jr. Is on with his family. So far that is the only interesting thing I have seen. I though Cristina was on vacation. There is this annoying bald heavy set guy, named Bob, on talking about coupons. What happened… Read more »
I just learned of this and it does upset me! I’ve had a busy summer away and haven’t watched much TV but H&F WITH Christina was part of my morning “lineup”. I’ve tuned in a few times and wondered where she was and to be honest, not sure I’ll watch much. She was one of my favorite “hosts” – big mistake Hallmark….
This H&F debacle sounds like it could be a Hallmark movie. The plotting producers, the conniving soon-to-be new hostess, and the heart-broken fans demanding justice. The happy ending, as we all know Hallmark movies have, will be how Hallmark realizes their huge mistake and asks Cristina (on bended knee) to return to the show. She graciously rejects their proposal because she has bigger and better things in her future. [Epilogue: the show gets cancelled.]
Hope it gets cancelled now!
I was shocked when I turned in and saw her replacement I watched only 1/2 hr and could not stand this bimbo–so immature and dramatic when talking about her daughter getting a splinter in her foot it was embarassing to watch! Truly loved Cristina she was a natural and down right genuine! I will never turn on this show again. This new co-host will loose viewers!
I was so disappointed after watching and waiting for Cristina to return from vacation. It did not feel right. Hallmark “Home & Family Show” should had been up front with us viewers. Many of us are around Cristina’s age. The Home & Family has sent a bad massage out to other company’s saying it’s ok to let us go for our age. This makes no since when she and the viewers were apart of the reason for another season! Well we love ya too. I have stop taping and watching the show. If you tape this show it counts in… Read more »
I thought it was so classy of hallmark to have Cristina as a co host as I believe there are lots of retired people who watch and because of her age and expertise it made Home and Family more all inclusive. I really miss her – all the ones left are “cutsey” and enjoyable to watch, but when Cristina was fired it lost a LOT of class.
I don’t agree that this show is made for retirees. I believe it is more of a D.I.Y. show with guest speakers and lots of variety. I was not a C.F. fan and she seemed a little dumb and it made me sick to see her flirt with Mark ALL the time…I actually quit watching because of that…sometimes I wondered if they were an item and was glad to hear he was engaged this year. Then she mentioned her husband on a couple of shows and I actually thought…how rude she was to her spouse and how embarrassed her children… Read more »
With Tina’s response below, my opinion of Matt R has changed now too.
I wonder what the next chapter of H&F will be with the overwhelming negative responses to our dear Cristina’s firing and DM’s promotion.
I will never watch again. Christine made the show. DM is silly and all over the place. The show needs to be cancelled at this point.
Do not watch anymore!!! Definitely not the same. Christina was that show. You blew it Hallmark!!
I’m late to this very sad party, I so loved Christina on Home & Family. Like everyone else has said, she brought the warmth and class to this program. Christina’s talent and wisdom was the foundation of the entire show, without her strength and genuine personality, the show will be an epic fail! Seriously, I’m shocked how Hallmark believes a younger staff will generate younger views… young peeps don’t yet appreciate home and family! This show was watched by parents, homebodies and crafty peeps around 30 ish and up, not teens to 20 year olds.
I do not watch after Cristina was let go. It was absolutely unbelievable to me they let her go because of her age which was ridiculous. They were deceptive to the audience and I am sure somewhat surprised at the backlash it has caused. They deserve every negative comment they get. They wanted to take the show in a different direction which is awful. It has been quite obvious by the lack of quality guests and content that they shouldn’t have changed something that was working so well. The chemistry between Christina, Mark, Dr. JJ, the 2 Matt’s, Paige, Ken,… Read more »
Dee,that was the best comment yet!!!! So true!!!