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?
Christina was wonderful. The young blonde airhead they replaced her with is just plain awful. I will no longer be watching the program.
How disappointing to find they replaced Christina with Debbie. No offense to Debbie, but she is just uncomfortable to watch. She seems to have to “force” everything, she is just not naturally warm and inviting. And no offense to Mark, either, but I never tuned in to watch him, it was really for Christina. Not exactly sure what your strategy is knowing the average TV viewer is now over 50, but I won’t be tuning in. I can get the “craft” stuff from magazines in the dentists office, but watching Christina and hearing about what she was up to, was… Read more »
I’m a 36 year old woman, work outside the home only on Tues and Thurs, and always looked forward to watching Home and Family with Christina. She has been the highlight of the show. I enjoyed her wisdom and warmth. I find Debbie rather “desperate” for attention and immature. I really liked watching on my M, W & F with my cup of coffee after the kids went off to school. So sorry to see she’s been let go. And from the comments on here, I think it may have been a mistake.
This ruins the show for me!!!! I like Debbie; she is a nice woman, BUT this was/is Christina’s show…in my mind. I will not be watching any more. Cannot stand Mark, but watched because of Christina.
Debbie is an air head. No warmth.
I love Christina & would have thought Hallmark would have treated the decision in a much more ethical way to the perception of the fans with a closing farewell to her to honor her time on H & F. This is the only tv show I try to watch regularly…literally! She is a lady & deserved a kinder farewell. Too abrupt.
I loved Cristina, she was genuine, Debbie is such a fake. I am no longer a viewer. I have tried, but can’t stand to watch Debbie.
I am a Home and Family fan. I can no longer relate to the show and here is why…I am from the baby boomer era. This demographic of viewers is being missed because of the current staffing marketing profile of 6′ tall, runway model thin and under age 35. Engaging and beautiful Christina shared her gift of passion and love of the show programming with viewers and this is truly missed. I don’t tune in as frequently now. Maybe all good things do come to an end.
Miss Christina and just don’t watch Home and Family any more. I really don’t understand why you would fire the best part of the show.
I am a Home and Family fan. I can no longer relate to the show and here is why…I am from the baby boomer era. This demographic of viewers is being missed because of the current staffing marketing profile of 6′ tall, runway model thin and under age 35. Engaging and beautiful Christina shared her gift of passion and love of the show programming with viewers and this is truly missed. I don’t tune in as frequently now. Maybe all good things do come to an end.
Once again Hollywood has implemented a double standard – a mature, beautiful, intelligent woman being replaced by a younger, less experienced version while the men are allowed to age gracefully. I’m sure Debbie is a lovely person, however I cannot relate to her. When I watched Christina, I felt I could connect to her….saw her as a friend….someone I could trust. As others on this forum have said – Shame on you H&F and you can add another name to the list of viewers that you lost…not that you care.
I am a Home and Family fan. I cannot relate to the show now and here is why…I am from the baby boomer era. This demographic of viewers is being missed due to the show staff who meet the current marketing profile of 6′ tall, runway model thin and under age of 35. The show dialogue surrounds that profile. The engaging and beautiful veteran, Christina shared her gift of passion and love for the programming. This is truly missed. I don’t tune in as often now. Maybe all good things do come to an end.
I feel this is age discrimination, which is rampant everywhere. There are many of us, who are ‘vintage’ rather than ‘older’ and who actively involved in life. Many of us have money to spend that their actuaries are not factoring in to their programming. It is time for movies about older and active people in love. It is wrong to get rind of a beautiful co-host who represents a certain demographic but is NOT anathema for younger people as well. We live in a real world neighborhood or immediate community of many ages, sharing interests and not dates of birthday… Read more »
I haven’t watched since Christina left and I won’t be buying Hallmark in the future. Even the movies have lost their luster. Hoping another network will pick her up with a new co-host.
So disappointed to see that Crisitina is no longer on the show. She brought class and enjoyment so I would watch the show and be entertained. Debbie may be for the younger kids but frankly she does not have the maturity, personality or class! Hallmark that was an immature and poor decision on your part to replace her and not even have the guts to let her prepare her many fans. I am younger than Crisitina by at least fifteen years and found her very engaging and fun. Shame on you H&F, you just lost another viewer.
Debbie is doing fine, she’ll become a great host. I resent the way they handled Christina though, and it definitely changed the feeling of the show.