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 like Debbie I will watch now
I do not know why they had CF on it to start with…Debbie is a fresh face.
I do wish Christina was still on show. I will miss her and feel it was a mistake to replace her. Makes me sad. I too will be leaving, which means I won’t be watching since Christina is not on the show. It just will not be the same. May I ask was age a factor in replacing her? I love Hallmark channel but, am sad to hear this news!
I loved Christina and will miss her. I hope she can find a new show that will embrace her
I’m gald to find out that I’m not the only one who quit watching H&F over the removal Cristina. Now that it’s ” all Debbie all the time ” it just made me sad to watch. Why did she have to say she was so blessed to get Christians job?
I actually hadn’t watched the show since they got rid of Paige. I felt like Christina talked over Mark like she was his mom or something.
I loved Page! I haven’t been watching, so I didn’t know they let her go. I love Tanya and they got rid of her too. I guess if I wanted a hit show, I’d pick up all of H&F’s cast offs and have the best show on the air.
Sorry Christina was let go, guess it is another case of the big wigs not knowing their audience consists primarily of older women. Mark and Christina had “mom and son chemistry.” Just call me a former fan.
I only watched to see Christina.
Very sad to see this happen. Christina is a beautiful lady with a lot of inner beauty as well. She brought light to the show with her great attitude and
smile! She will be missed dearly and this decision has caused me to go elsewhere for daytime TV. I feel the network has made a grave mistake!
I am so mad at the hallmark network for letting Cristina go she was the main reason I watched for the Cooking, and the Crafts . The show is not the same
Cristina gave it class and the heart of the show. It use to be the show I wanted to see every day not anymore . The rest of the cast are good but even they do not seem the same with Cristina gone.
I agree. I like the rest of the cast. However, the spirit of home is gone 🙁
I miss Christina… I like Debbie as a person, but she is young and vivacious with to much energy that gives me anxiety. I cannot relax and yet I do think she is lovely as a person. She interviews without missing a point…very good as a reporter, but not the same as Christina.. she made me feel like I was part of a family. She was like the mother who enjoyed bringing out the best and was not challenging to be better. She was Home and Family. Now you are just another show like Dr. Oz or that therapist guy.… Read more »
I am really going to miss you! I’ve been waiting for your return! So sorry to hear this news
I haven’t watched since Christine left. She was the one with the million dollar personality. Give her a new show. She has a lot of fans. She’s an awesome cook and a sincere person.
There is no connection between Debbie’s mouth and her brain !!!!
Miss, miss, miss Christina! 🙁 It is just not the same now and I rarely watch H&F anymore. I would watch it every day before but NOT NOW! And for H&F to not let us views know what happened to Christina was rude and unkind! Christina is so cute and did such a wonderful job – such a natural and she and Mark were a perfect team. Christina made my day! What a wonder role model! Debbie just isn’t Christina and can never fill her shoes. Debbie is trying too hard on the show to prove herself – it is… Read more »