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 miss Cristina Ferrare from the show. I just googled this to see what happened. She was the reason I tuned in to the show. This was a mistake and I am not sure why it happened but not a good move!!
They are both really great co-host, but the transition should have been handled more gracefully since the position is very public and many viewers see these personalities in their living rooms every day. A public farewell send off would have been more appropriate for Christina if they indeed felt she made a great contribution to the show. This way we could have all made our peace with the networks decision and not to feel that it was unfair to Christina.
Last week, watching all that junk about you are all “FAMILY’ when we all know that Cristina was the driving force, the glue, the class that held your FAMILY
together—I was just sick for her. Whatever the reason—iT WAS WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Who were the people that made this idiotic
decision, and what is the address to write to them??????
Sharon T.
I will no longer watch the show without Cristina. She made the show!!! Debbie is fine for other segments but not as host of the show. Hallmark made a HUGE mistake in replacing Cristina!!!
I’m not watching anymore. What is wrong with you Hallmark?!?!!!!!
This is how you treat family. Way to go I will not be watching ant more
I will miss you, Christina, and I wish it had been your decision. I love the show; I like Debbie, but it pains me that what we see on the show is not necessarily how it is. Makes me sad.
I am in disbelief that H & F would let Cristina go – she was the matriarch of the show. She had so much knowledge & wisdom to share & was a joy to watch – young is not always better & to let us the loyal people watching to believe that she was on vacation was so wrong! I am now retired & look forward to watching the H & F show everyday – it is a great show but I have been waiting everyday for her return & just found out that she has been replaced – that… Read more »
I will never watch again. Hallmark you screwed up
Debbie is a good additional segment person but comes no where close to Christina as a cohost for this show. Christina’s ‘motherly’ disposition is why I tuned it. She was genuine and soothing in the morning. I kept waiting dor her to come back as I don’t think Debbie is ready for that spot. I canceled the series on my dvr. Just not the same.
Wow! Seriously…didn’t realize how much I would miss Cristina until she was gone. Kept waiting for her to return, then the announcement. Such a shame…maybe Cristina will get her own show? Not sure what to think…no mention of her anymore…almost like she never existed. Sad…looks like everyone else on the show thinks he/she may be next…
its the way Home &Family went about telling loyal watchers that Cristina was on vacation on a much needed rest! When they knew the whole time she was not coming back!
How can Debbie do that to a real friend !! just so wrong!
Debbie is great. But not as cohost. Christina was warm, intelligent, fun, and had a certain chemistry with Marc. I don’t enjoy the show as much any more. Please bring back Christina !!!
this sucks. I won’t watch again….
I am so very sad to hear Christina has left, she made the show to me. I probably will not watch much anymore. I like Debbie, but not as co-host. Christina is beautiful, talented, down to earth, i just loved starting my day with her smile and the fun she had playing games was so amusing!!!bring her back