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?
Watched yesterday’s episode. Debbie just back from her vacation out east. Of course she had to do her imitation of her mother, kind of over the accent. She laughs too fake and still interrupting guests. She is not a cook, stop acting like one. Very apparent she isn’t or never has prepared anything she makes. Please remove her. I watch about every two months and she is still irritating and fake. Let the guest describe their recipe, or craft or movie or what ever. Or don’t have guests on and let Debbie just run everything. Stop touching guests like you… Read more »
Darn, I would have checked out the show if I had known Debbie wasn’t gone. I miss some of the others, but not enough to have to see and hear Debbie. She is in every scene and dominates every segment. I just can’t take her.
I was thinking the same thing! I would have checked out the show if I knew that irritating Debbie was gone. She was hard to watch even when she only had a segment on the show. Overbearing, obnoxious, loud and about as phony a person as I have ever seen..and that’s saying something! So wish Chistina was back. We looked forward to the show then.
First of all I would like to know why Cristina Ferrare was fired from the Hallmark Show? She was essential to the show and also added a little bit of flare, she really knew her stuff and it is such a great loss to the show! So again, I ask you, why was she fired?
They told her she was too old. They wanted a younger demographic! Lol
I am very sorry that Christina was dropped from the show and am wondering if this had to do with age discrimination – but the network has to do what it thinks best for the bottom line. It is no reflection on the current hostess but although retired since September, I no longer watch in my silent protest.
I think that Cristina was mean to mark. They seem to be condescending when they spoke to one another. I felt like they didn’t like each other and I could feel from the tv screen.
Thats seems to be a strange idea considering Cristina helped Mark at home. She helped him with his boys after his divorce. She and her daughter cooked for his parties and were at his home. Not something people do if they don’t like eachother. It was Mark that abanded her after she was fired. Not even a call from him after she was diagnosed with cancer. Cristina was his friend but he was not her friend. The same has been said by others that left the show.
I liked Christina very much, I didn’t like so much the guy on the show. So sorry to see you have been let go.
She was sooo much the better host. I can’t believe they gave her the boot and not him. He’s an idiot and I always thought that
Hallmark wants a skinny chick. I won’t watch. Honestly it was nice to have host like Christina who looks like a normal person.
I stopped watching when CF left. Mark is full of himself and Debbie doesn’t know her backside from her elbow. Bad move replacing CF.
Wish Hallmark had the intelligence to leave Christina on the air. Miss her a lot..don’t care for Debbie at all, very annoying. I don’t watch the show anymore.
I think, personally, the show is geared to a young demographic.
I feel like the show is nothing but anorexic, botoxed out personalities. Debbie doesn’t even know what she is doing in the kitchen and she is stiff and seems like all she worries about is how she looks on the show. I don’t watch anymore. Debbie is no where near the host she was.
Did anyone ever watch the vicar of dibley on pbs saturday night!!! Funny, In Europe on a tv series, your age does not matter, the vicar is very heavy in weight!! SO WHAT!! She is so funny, What is wrong with America! Everyone has to be perfect,It’s so sad! On home and family, I have to laugh, the cooking segment,OMG, let’s not eat too much ladies, a little bite will do it! SO FAKE, they all are a bunch of fake DOLLS!!They should have real problems!!!!!!!
It isn’t America; it is the television stations and movies. America thinks people should look like real people, but the television stations and movies think they should be anorexic like Angelina Jolie.
she,i really felt christina was a real person that i could relate to . this new gal is so superficial and hollywood I don’t watch anymore She’s kind of like a wind up doll.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QScCOWqR2h4&feature=youtu.be
I forgot to post the link. Sorry!
I just received this email from Hollywood Steals and it has Cristina in it, so I will share it with you. She is recovered and looking well.
I wish Cristina Ferrare was back on television. I’ve always loved her personality!
I miss Christina! Debbie is too cutsie drives me nuts! Talks too much too
I don’t watch anymore. The cast is annoying and the show isn’t the same with Christine. Hope the show gets cancelled.