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?
all good wishes to Christina
No I will not watch the show because of the replacement
I liked Christina better. More experienced and natural.
I love home and family. I miss christena but Debbie is doing a great job alway watching home and family my prayers and good wishes to Christena. And we love you. Debbie is a great cohost i wish her all the best.
I meant she not we in my statement. If age had anything to do with this change, I am so disappointed. Cristina reached out to all ages. She is so natural. Lived watching her.
I liked Cristina so much. We was so warm and so ‘real’. I do not have the same feeling now. Do not watch much any more.
I meant feels like HOME & FAMILY.
I am missing Christina, she fells like HOME & FAMILY.
There is no “replacement” for Christine Ferrare. The “rare” at the end of her last name describes her perfectly. I believe Hallmark has made a mistake. I, for one, will not be watching the show again.
I’m sad and was concerned. I loved her on H&F. It’s not the same. I think they made a great mistake. Christina is genuine, caring, joyfully and heart felt. On tv it seemed all were happy in community. Times lately I have turned to it, not liking it. Not the same.
The show is not the same. Nice, but missing the family feeling. Christina had the nack of tying all together and giving that warm safe feeling that a family and home should have.
I didn’t watch the show because I DIDNT LIKE THE CO HOST. I’m GLAD SHES GONE!!!! I like the New Gal!!!
Most of this society makes discrimination a big issue and use it as a political pull like I said use it those same people though discriminate against age we all know it but no one fights for us folks older than 50 because they have so many loop holes age discrimination hard to prove… is in all colors of our skin but yet we are not protected which is obvious. I have friends of different colors that have been discriminated against because of their age but who speaks for them no one..But yet it has been proven older working folks… Read more »
If it’s not broke why fix it? Christina fit the show..
The new hostess is good in her own right but Christina was the fit. Maybe the network thinks younger may bring more viewers but the folks who’ve watched the show a long time still look for Christina. I personally think bad marketing decision and plain not right. Somewhat discrimination as it appears. Christina is a sweet home , motherly, inventive professional. Bad decision. I will continue to watch the movies on Hallmark. But not Home and Family No fault of Debbie’s. Bad decision for Hallmark..
I am sad to see her replaced. I thought she did a fabulous job! It will not be the same. Guess I will only be watching for the movies. 🙁