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?
Home and Family is not the same without the presence of Cristina. She is not only the heart and soul of the family, but her presence lit up the room. Now that the spark is gone from the show, I will watch only choice segments, if any at all. I have to wonder how the family members are feeling about this. This is still such a shock and the void that has been created, cannot be filled.
I’m very disappointed tha christina was fired!! Why?!?! I’ve been watching her since the first home and family and I’m upset about her departure. I have NEVER wrote in about a tv show but I couldn’t hold my heart break in. Please tell Christina how much she will missed.
If Home & Family actually cared about ratings, they would never bumped Cristina Ferrare from the show. Stupid move! Hallmark just lost millions of loyal viewers!
If Home & Family actually cared about ratings, they would never have let Cristina Ferrare go. What a stupid move! Hallmark just lost so many loyal viewers!
Shame on hallmark channel! Nice message sent to our young teenage daughters! Out with the older woman who is far superior and in with the new younger and prettier host! I am so disappointed !
Sorry, Debbie may be younger, but she is not attractive. She does not exude any sweetness. She looks just like she behaves, hard, money oriented, will do anything to get to better position. No loyalty there! Personally, I think the show has gotten mind numbingly stupid. Animals are rescued all day, every day, boooooring, the DYI projects are so slapped together, it is getting ho hum. In general, Orly’s ideas are also uninspired. The shirt apron looked pathetic. Most her ideas are juvenile at best. & the box purses that the guest made, also stupid. If anyone is actually paying… Read more »
We’ll…Debbie is 41 years old. Mark is 52. Not sure your teenage daughter can relate to them?
IMHO Cristina is beautiful and takes no backseat to any cast member as far as beauty goes.
Why did Cristina leave? She was so perfect in this position. Truthfully, I loved the show.but she was
Such a joy to watch with all of her talents. I would watch the show mostly because of Cristina. She was such a breath of fresh air from all the horrible things going on in this world. I think Hallmark made a huge mistake. I hope she is not sick. We will miss you ! Cristina!
This is extremely disappointing news. I truly lost interest in the show without Christina over the last few weeks, but knew she would return. Then I heard Debbie is a permanent replacement. Don’t they realize who their audience is? The Hallmark network appeals to women over 50. Christina was a breath of fresh air daily. Christina was a well-rounded, good natured, great cook, and genuine hostess. Hallmark lost their spark by dropping her. I am sincerely not interested in this show any more.
I feel like I lost my best friend. Not even a chance to say goodbye to her. How awful. What a mistake. Now I’ll have to do something else to occupy my time from -0-12pm everyday. I could never watch this show again. It’s just too sad. Plus I’m really not a mark Steines fan or a Debbie fan. I do love Kim and Shirley the gardener. But I will never tune into home s d family again.
Thank goodness Kym and Shirley have websites to visit them at along with my other favorite family members. Christina has some new adventures and a website also. As for Debbie, she may cohost H&F but she is NOT coming in to my home every day. Her overbearing, juvenile, fake, unclassiness isn’t welcome here.
I dvr everyday…I love Cristina & noticed a change immediately..didn’t believe vacation story..now that it has been confirmed I have just deleted it from my DVR..change is good just not in this case…I simply won’t watch anymore I know higher ups don’t care about one persons opinion but clearly Hallmark made a huge mistake
Christina made the show will not be watching in the future do not like Debbie or Mark Christina made the show
Wondering WHY Cristina was asked to leave the show??? She was a gracious, wonderful, caring host!! Not taking away from Debbie but Cristina had a way of welcoming everyone good or bad and being gracious at the same time! Why can’t Hallmark give us “the REASON” she was asked to leave?
You need to bring Cristina back.
I would simply ask why?? Christina was such a strong mother figure in the”family “. I love Debbie and am supportive of her and her talent, I just wonder why Hallmark would change things when they have been so successful ??!!
Christina was the ‘mom’ with the heart and soul of the show. She was there through the thick and thin to help make the show a success. I actually thought early this week that it would be horrible if Christina was unable to come back to the show, thinking she had a health problem. I could tolerate Mark and his self-centered personality because Christina canceled him out with her genuine warmth and caring personality. No one is going to buy the ‘Home and Family’ good vibe after kicking mom to the curb for a younger woman. How many female viewers… Read more »
I was so looking forward to next week thinking that Christina would be back! Christina brought such class and humbleness to the show. She is beautiful inside and out! She truly was the heart of your show. I looked forward to watching every day because she truly held the show together. I am no longer interested in watching! You made a very bad decision and I am very very disappointed!I like Mark and Debbie but they are NOT the stars! Very poor decision! I am appalled at the way you handled this! Yes, Christina should’ve been able to say goodbye… Read more »