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 is not the same without Christian .Mark aN Christian had chemistry DEBBIE aN MARK do not. We all miss her. I for one have stopped watching the show. Watched it from the very beginning very very unhappy with your decision to remove her. Here’s hoping you bring her back she is the best.
I am sorry that hallmark dropped Cristina, she was the heart of the show. I won’t be watching Unless they bring her back. What were they thinking?
I
Think to fire Christina was a big mistake on hallmarks part. Debbie i.e. So hyper it takes away from the show
It’s very upsetting to find out that Christina was replaced by a younger hostess. Christina and Mark made such a good team. I loved watching them hosting together. I’m so sad. Christina was so classy, genuinely heartfelt and inspirational. She will be truly missed and I pray that she will receive an opportunity to host her own show.
Sad that Cristina wa fired. Guess I will have to find something else to do. Goodbye Home and Family.
I’m glad I finally found out what has happened. I am sad that you are no longer on the show, I am sure she will do a good job but it was your demeanor and chemistry with your co host that made me want to watch the show.
Good luck.
Christina was the main reason I enjoyed the show. Everything these days is so geared to younger audiences and younger hosts. Christina is by no means old, but her experience and maturity gave her a much broader concept of life and the traditional values many of us more mature audiences share. I don’t have anything against Debbie, but I probably won’t watch the show anymore. I never dreamed Hallmark would let a treasure like Christina go. Very disappointed.
No I will never watch again as I was a daily viewer of home and family. Hallmark should be ashamed of themselves referring to their channel as a family channel. That’s not how family treat one another. I loved Cristina Ferrare, she was down to earth and could relate to the people. I will no longer be watching home and family. Hallmark you did her dirty and I Will no longer support your show.
Janice Hope and Josephine Arballo conveyed my thoughts very well. I turned the show on today in hopes of seeing Christina again, I’m done as well…bad move Hallmark Home & Family, Christina’s class and grace shines through even in lu of being fired.
It’s very obvious to me that Hallmark fired someone who embodied their proclaimed ideas of character, Christ-likeness, Wholesomeness and purity for someone who the exact opposite. I haven’t watched the show since and won’t.
My whole family misses Cristina and wishes that she would come back. We’ve watched the show since it first aired. The show lost something very special. Thank goodness she is not ill. That was the only reason we could think of for her leaving Home & Family. Not much of a family if it is true that she was just fired and replaced. Shame on them. Whole concept for the show just went out the window. Does one’s Aunt or Grandmother get ousted from a true home & family?
I am disappointed. She was great and a wonderful host. I don’t understand why Christina had to go. Same old stuff older replaced by younger, slimmer blonde. Yes I will not watch home & family again.
No Christina
No Hallmark Channels
No Hallmark Stores
No Hallmark Cards
Done with Hallmark
Please join me…#againstagediscrimination
It’s just not the same without Cristina! Nobody can replace her spark and charisma. I actually don’t enjoy it any longer. There’s a certain class that went away with her. Sorry, I no longer watch “Home &Family”.
It’s a shame they replaced Christina, it’s very boring without her, she added life and sparkle, will I stop watching? Yes probably….
Very sad not to be able to see her face!
I will probably no longer watch. Sounds like age discrination to me.