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 haven’t watched the show since Christina left and I don’t think I will will ever go back to watching.
Sorry to see Christina go. She was wonderful. I will not be watching the program any longer. Bad decision.
I just can’t watch Home & Family any longer. I miss Christina very much. She was a great hostess. She made the audience and viewers comfortable and relaxed. I’m sorry but Debbie does noting for the show. She is loud, pushy, and just doesn’t do anything for the show. She is very overbearing and you can tell she is not very sincere. I think all those that were involved in replacing Christina make a gigantic error. You have lost me as a home viewer. Sorry.
I loved Christina. She made everyone feel comfortable. I sense tension between Mark and Debbie. Debbie is rude and interrupts constantly. She has someone doing a cooking segment and she interrupts to tell how SHE does it or how they do it in Greece! She hogs the camera and constantly talks over Mark. I am afraid that Mark is the next one to go. I love him.
Nancy – I couldn’t agree with you more! Ever since I learned that Christina was forced out I have NEVER watched another episode. Home and family blew it big time. Christina was the heart and soil of that show and they should ALL be ashamed of themselves for how they treated her!!
I loved her personality!! She was a real genuine lady who still packed glamour and class. Debbie is too cutesy for my taste. I feel Debbie is just as flighty if that was the criticism but not as empathetic and genuine as Christina. Age brings wisdom that Debbie does not yet have. I no longer watch the show and I watched or recorded it every day. Sad.
To those of you claiming ageism: wrong, wrONG, WRONG!!! Betty White is loved and she would have run circles around Cristina in stage presence. (So would Wendy Malick!) It’s not about age. Cristina Ferrarra had no personality. It was sadly masked by her being a nervous wreck on camera. As a viewer, it’s difficult to watch and so I didn’t. No one likes to look at someone as awkward as her. She needs therapy for her massive stage fright! I believe she needs to retire from the public eye. She doesn’t have what it takes.
That’s really funny! You must be associated with someone on the program!
Dear “A Viewer” – The vast majority of people who USED to watch Home & Family loved Cristina and appreciated her realness. We are all entitled to our opinion but your comments make me feel that you never watched the show. She came to the set early to place flowers around the “house” and make it look more homey. Guests came to the show specifically because she was the host and they had a friendly and real relationship with her. Ever since she was let go, the quality of the guests has really gone downhill. In my opinion, a wonderful… Read more »
Very well said, Rosemarie.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Rosemary – very well said!
I’m going to try to say this as politely as possible: WAS ABOUT TIME! Cristina Ferrarra put me on edge. I simply couldn’t watch the show, and Mark Steines is a cutie, but she was too awkward to watch. Not sure how she ever got that gig? Look at the chosen photo above; she is showing teeth but her eyes reflect sheer terror! She constantly looked like bombs were going off around her. That deer in the headlights look was not becoming on a senior like her. Mark Steines deserved better from the get-go. How she lasted so long, I… Read more »
Really don’t know what show you were watching but Christina was a wonderful host, warm and friendly, watched the show for years and tried to watch it after she left but Debbie is just way too overbearing and loud, sorry but I no longer watch home and family, it’s just not the same
I am so sad that Christina will no longer be on the show. I thought she may have been replaced because of illness. I am glad that her health is good, but I am very disappointed that she will no loner be on the show, and I will not be watching any more.
Cristina was HOME!!!!
She was great I’m sorry she left but it seems Hallmark wanted her out shame on them. I’m sick of these big company’s not respecting the people who put them on the map. I have stopped watching.
I miss Christina she was just fabulous on the show. Please bring her back so many shows have failed because of changes like this. The new person is nice but she’s no Christina. I don’t watch the show too often now.
I don’t watch the show anymore. Mark had better watch his back. He may be next.
I love Christina and this change is not for the better. She has such class and a positive attitude. I wonder if this change was because the network wanted a different audience say one that is younger. Where’s the loyalty? I never cared for the segments with Debbie and now that she is the hostess I’m done watching.
Get rid of Mark and Debbie! Christina never ever needed a co host. She was the show!
I agree the show is not considering old people. I do not like the fact that both mark and Debbie interrupt the people trying to teach a craft or when they r cooking. I so misscristina
It is obvious that like other “entertainment shows”, Cristina was fired because she was considered, by the network, too old. What they seem to have forgotten is that Home and Family is a FAMILY show! Families are made up of people of ALL AGES. I am disgusted with this decision. And I will not be watching the show in the future.
No. I am old too. Cristina Ferrarra was AWKWARD to watch. No TV presence, constantly looking out of place and ill at ease. She is too nervous in front of cameras. Also she is gorgeous when she’d show up with her bangs back but she always had them down on her forehead and that look doesn’t flatter her particular face shape. Not her fault, but it is her fault for not wearing her hair back. TV is about BEAUTY: it’s a visual media. Why go out of her way to make herself unattractive? I noticed the days she would show… Read more »
I’ve read a few of your comments and feel you were not a viewer as you claim. Most people posting here miss Cristina because she was the heart of Home and Family. You claim she was ”awkward”…well, if she was (on rare occasions) that was what made her genuine and real. She made the viewer feel comfortable and accepted. Maybe she wasn’t perfectly scripted, but that is what gave the show heart. Debbie is too full of herself and doesn’t have the “feel comfortable in her own skin” attitude that Cristina did. You’re entitled to your opinion, but it’s not… Read more »
They were trying to fire Vanna White because she was too old! I’m glad they let her stay on the show. Christina was Home & Family. I stopped watching it. Debbie is too flighty and checking her looks. She’s not sincere. Poor Mark.
In case you haven’t noticed, Marks sort of a jerk. I don’t like the mean jokes he makes, especially with Kym.
I used to watch that show all the time when Christina was on it. Rarely watch it anymore. Debbie is just too loud and overbearing for my taste. Personally, I thought that because Trin is just too loud and overbearing for my taste. Personally, I thought that Christina was a better host and her cooking segments were wonderful. Sad that as someone else said, when a woman ages she is replaced and when a man ages, it doesn’t matter and he keeps his job. Not fair.