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 will continue to watch. All shows go through a change. I’ve gotten to know and appreciate all the talent and information on Home and Family. Yes, Cristina with Mark helped improve the ratings.
Yes, Cristina was the “mom”, charm, warmth but she was too forceful in her interview and left Mark out. My mom and I always talked about this and were ready to quite watching the show. I miss Cristina for all that she contributed to the show — cooking, flower arrangement, prayer at the dinner table.
I have watched almost every home and family show, but like most of the otther people who replied, I will no longer watch. Christina was The show!!!!
I thought it was a family and not sure how Woody could get rid of her. I am very sad, I just lost my favorite show.
I agree that this is age related. Everyone’s home and family includes and welcomes people of all ages! What a shame Hallmark has made this decision.
I have stopped watching ,which saddens me as I enjoyed the other cast and guests but, cannot get past Debbie as part of the mix
I like Debbie and she will be a good co host. I am not happy about the way Cristina was treated. She is a fantastic co host. What were they thinking?
I am so disappointed with Hallmark Channel. We watched Home & Family with Cristina Ferrare years ago and were so happy to see the show come back. She and Mark worked so good together. Hallmark you made a big mistake! ! Cristina will be missed…. Enjoyed all the cooking segments with her and her daughter. We Like Debbie, but this is how companies treat employees
now a days. You work hard many years, and then out the door.
Cristina you have made Home & Family a pleasure to watch.
As a lover of all things Hallmark…..have to admit I only watched Home and Family because Christina was on it…..was a fan of her other show a while back and was thrilled when she became a co-host on Home and Family…..have nothing against any of the others on the show…..but just won’t DVR and watch any longer…. Will be waiting to see where Christina pops up next….. Wishing her all the Best…… Celeste
I stopped recording and watching as I feel they let Christina go because of her age.not a Hallmark fan anymore.
Shame on the Hallmark Channel I thought they had better standards than to be so disloyal as to let Christina go. I enjoy Debbie but Christina was fantastic and Hallmark should be a shamed of their disloyalty
Couldn’t agree more!
Will no longer watch
I’m heart broken. I always missed Christina when she was on vacation, but took comfort in knowing that she would return. I will probably stop watching/recording the show. It’s just not the same. She brought so much love to the show. I felt like she was my best friend. Mark and Debbie are great, but Christian made the show what it is.
I’m sad but happy, it was time for a new co-host for Mark. Someone like Debbie is perfect because she has the energy and funny that the show needs. Plus maybe the show will attract a younger audience as well. Although a nice send off for Christina would have been nice 🙂
Not to be rude, but Debbie is fake. She is to full of herself for most to take her for too long. I will stop watching. I’ve turned it on over the last few weeks, but turned off because I just don’t care for so much of Debbie. I didn’t know about Cristina being let go, I just thought she was on vacation. It’s such a shame. Debbie is OK in small doses, but not as co-host. Too bad I really liked the show.
Every opinion matters, That being said, the audience they were attracting got them to season 5. In my opinion, without Cristina, not seeing a season 6.
I do think hallmark made a big mistake replacing Cristina. She made us feel welcome, part of the Home & Family, exactly part of a TV family. She was real, you can’t practice that or act because you could tell it was just who she is. Cristina is not fake. It comes natural for her because that’s who she is, a warm and caring person. I know hallmark Home & Family will not miss me in numbers, but if a lot of viewers feels like me and decide to not watch any longer, you will miss us then because it’s… Read more »
We as people that love Christina must take a page out of her book of elegance. I do not believe that other cast members wanted her to leave. It was not there decision. We should not pick who we think should have been fired, or resort to name calling. I believe that the show worked because each cast member worked in the lane they were in. I will no longer watch the show. The whole tone has changed and that tone was what drew me to the show. There was a warmth that now seems to be missing. I thought,… Read more »
I a couple episodes when Home & Family first started with Paige Davis. There was no chemistry between the hosts and the show moved awkwardly. I came back to the show when Cristina Ferrare came on. She brought warmth, heart and you felt she was being genuine. You wanted to be best friends with her! She was everything the show was lacking. She knew how to reign in Mark when he goes off on his tangents. Now the show feels off the rails again. There is no cohesion anymore. Debbie is fine when she did her short segments, not as… Read more »