Home & Family has a new co-host. Today, the Hallmark Channel announced Debbie Matenopoulos will replace Cristina Ferrare as co-host of the daytime talk show.
Ferrare has hosted the series alongside Mark Steines since 2012.
Read the full details below:
STUDIO CITY, CA, June 21, 2016 – Cristina Ferrare, longtime co-host of Hallmark Channel’s Daytime Emmy®-nominated daily series “Home & Family,” will depart the network’s popular original lifestyle program, it was announced today by Hallmark Channel. The network also announced that current “Home & Family” member Debbie Matenopoulos will immediately join Emmy® Award-winning journalist and series co-host Mark Steines as the series’ new co-host.
“Cristina Ferrare has been instrumental in making ‘Home & Family’ one of daytime’s most popular lifestyle series,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming & Publicity, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
“Cristina’s natural flair and expertise, along with her warmth and grace, set a standard for all of us at ‘Home & Family,’ and we are forever indebted to her.
“It is a great pleasure to promote ‘Home & Family’ regular contributor Debbie Matenopoulos to become Mark’s co-host. Debbie has quickly become an audience favorite among our family of multi-talented lifestyle experts and we look forward to Debbie’s continued unique and exciting contributions going forward.”
What do you think? Do you watch Home & Family? Are you sad to see Cristina leave?
Sad that Christina has left the show, will miss her dearly. She took care of everybody especially Mark.
It’s all about age. Shame on Home & Family!! You have made a terrible decision! Bring Cristina Ferrare back. The show will never be same without her. Just pure sexist executives!!
So sorry to see Christina Ferrare go. Hope it was her decision and other another example of getting rid of someone one in their 60’s for a younger co-host.
I am finished with Home and Family. Hallmark must be a very unfeeling towards their viewers to replace one of the hosts and not even give her a send off.. Christina was one of the reasons this show was an Emmy winner.. Debbie gets on my nerves after an hour. My social media is blowing up with comments on this. Good luck getting it renewed next time.
Every family has at it’s center the “core” who keeps it together and helps everyone celebrates successes, get through tough times,…. Christina was the core of H&F.. the glue, the center… she will be missed..her warmth, beauty and sincerity made this show a family for those on the show and in the audience
Donald J. Hall JR. CEO of Hallmark INC
Hallmark Cards, Inc. P.O. Box 419034. Mail Drop 216.
Kansas City, MO 64141-6580
OR
corporate.hallmark.com/Contact-Hallmark
I am respectfully writing him because our voices have not been heard by Woody Fraser. Please be as heartfelt as you were here
I will send them an email! Thanks!
Thank you for your second article posted yesterday (June 23, 2016; Home & Family: Why Did Cristina Ferrare Leave the Hallmark Series?). I’m sure by now you’ve seen the outrage listed in comments on your site and across the internet. It’s unrealistic how the Hallmark channel and Hallmark Home & Family show can be so dishonest and LIE to viewers about Cristina! It’s truly unbelievable in this day and age…they’re really out of touch.
So … did Christina quit … or was she fired? I think you owe fans an explanation … and you owe Christina a LOT more than being brushed off like that. I couldn’t believe how they announced this! And if the show has been renewed for a 5th season, why not let Christina finish out this one and let Debbie begin next season??? is Mark responsible? The way he sat there smiling yesterday made me think he’s behind it. No offense to Debbie … but she won’t be able to replace Christina. She doesn’t have the class to fill Christina’s… Read more »
It’s funny that whenever they make a change in a show that has male and female hosts, the female is always the one to be replaced.
OK that’s it. You did not take the time from all that pretentious, cutsie FLUFF to address this situation about Cristina, So that is it for me. You have no regard for your viewers, and the regulars on board are as guilty as you for not demanding that something nice be said or done about Cristinas’ leaving. Mark you are not funny at this point. Just annoying. Debbie you are nice enough but you will never be able to replace Cristina. I have encouraged others in the past to watch this program, but we are all turning It off now… Read more »
I enjoy watching Debbie on the show but Christina brought a calm and
“Homey” presence to the show. I won’t be watching every day any more. It’s too frenzied!
I think it stinks! Cristina and Mark are why you got to be the Emmy award winning show. I like Debbie, but she gets on my nerves. But like always, the young perky blonde wins out. Bring back Cristina!!! I plan to watch a little longer, but you have really made a bad decision. Without Cristina the show is no fun to watch. You have let a family member die! That sucks!!!!!!!!
I have to share this one. I too have been upset about what they did to Christina. I have not been able to watch this show since the news broke. Yesterday, my husband turned on the program mistakenly thinking I wanted to watch. the first thing that came on was Debbie on a crying jag about something, I don’t know what. I nearly broke my leg trying to get to the remote to turn this nauseating rant off. I just don’t care what was so sad to her, I simply couldn’t watch that baloney anymore.
I’m very sad that you replaced Christina. She has such style and grace. The show will not be the same without her. Not sure if I will continue to watch the show!
Will no longer watch Home and Family without Cristina. No longer watching your movies because of the awful background music. Hallmark channel not what it used to be.
Cristina was always a class act. I always looked forward to seeing her and her hairstyles/fashion choices. Mark and Debbie are so annoying and full of themselves! I do not know if I will watch anymore. Cristina was always good in her cooking segments and explained the recipes well. She is a natural. Debbie is the worst with cooking segments. She does not always verbalize the ingredient measurements. She plays around and starts speaking in Greek or with a Greek accent which is stupid! The show has gotten so WHITE now. Except for Ken, almost all the tv staff are… Read more »
Delia, I agree with you about Christina, she is a class act and she is a natural. she will be missed. Also agree about Mark and Debbie, to me, they are very annoying. Mark thinks he’s funny with his jokes, but it’s very obvious everyone around him do get irritated with him and his so called jokes. Mark always attends everyone’s segment and he’s ALWAYS making some kind of comment ( he thinks he is making a joke and tries to be funny ), but what he is doing, he’s taking the attention off from the one who is doing… Read more »