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 Christine ,she was the show’ I will not continue watching.
I love Christina. I do not even like Debbie. Didn’t care for her when she was on The View. As much as I like some of the “family”, I’ll not be watching any more.
I will now no longer watch the show. I like Mark. But it was the combination I liked. Debbie is great but not my style. Sorry. Wish them luck.
I stopped watching the show when Chriistina left. I find Debbie not as good host as Christina..
Please bring Christina back to the show as female host. I was shocked to find out that Home and Family choose someone else in her place. I started watching the show two years ago because I found her so refreshingly delightful. I have watched the show faithfully every morning since then. I watched the show a few times since her departure and it is not the same. Christina had a warm sincerity and authenticity that has not been duplicated by anyone else in her place. I love the fact that she was older, wiser, and simply a beautiful person inside… Read more »
I miss Cristina. Please bring her back. She is a genuine lovely woman.
Please say it is not so!!!! Please, please bring Christina back. She was the main reason I watched the show. She’s a class act all the way. Shame on Home & Family producers. So far, Debbie and the other host have added no value. WILL NOT BE WATCHING THIS SHOW!!!!!
Anyone with any age or experience in life liked the idea of many ages and skills that the “Family” had. All that love and goo was a lie regarding this being such a warm and wonderful family. Sorry, No more watching for me. Youth rules the waves now. That’s why knowledgeable viewers are leaving networks for quality programming which seems to be British. At 72 I find that watching bugs and nature programs more inviting than shows that lie and are ugly in format and viewing. I now know how to kill someone at least 100 ways – learned over… Read more »
I was very shocked and did not think a new co host was called for. I will not be watching. I have watched the new co host and found it missing something and it is called warming and maturity.
I liked Christina and am sorry they let her go. There is a new (I think temp) host on this week and I do not like her at all. Debbie is OK but Christina was better!
I watched the show BECAUSE of Cristina! She is beautiful, classy and always had a joyful presence. Could it be because she is too OLD? Debbie is not a good replacement for her. I will NOT be watching the show!!
So sorry, Christina was dismissed this way! Her and Mark were good together. But if anyone needed to go, Mark should of been the one. You lost a,bunch of class. Big mistake, don’t even care to watch any longer.
SHOCKED, Have been looking for Cristina, so sad she will not be back, just not the same, probably won’t watch anymore
The damage has been done, the show is no longer appealing. In fact I find it rather boring . Cristina made everyone around her better with her elegance and grace. I have removed it from my dvr which makes me feel sad because it was and I do mean was an uplifting positive show. It offered an alternative to most of the other edgy crass things on the air. So typical of today’s world, genuine people seem to get pushed aside for another agenda.
I’ve tried to watch Home & Family but, it just isn’t the same without Cristina. She is “One Classy Lady.” I will not be watching H & F any longer. Sorry! Cristina was the show
I loved watching Cristina Ferrare on Hallmark Home and Family. She has such a warm and engaging personality and is truly a lovely and loving person. I would like to know why they replaced her. Why all the pretense about being so fond of older ladies on the show i.e. Dolly Parton and others when they didn’t realize the value of Cristina who is everything you would want to be and see in a lady of the older generation. Maybe you don’t want us to watch anymore as you gear the show to a younger audience? It is very unprofessional… Read more »