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?
Big mistake. Debbie is cute and all, but Christina is REAL. I thought they were FAMILY. That’s what was so different about the show. They DUMPED Christina- just like any other business oriented network. There’s nothing distinctive about them anymore. I’m done with it.
I thought at first that Christina was on vacation but after 2 weeks I saw she was still not back so I googled and saw I had missed the sad news! She’s not coming back and was replaced! She was so sweet and genuine! Her and Marc had great chemistry! Home & Family will never be the same and for her to have been with the show for so long and you not give her a much deserved farewell send off REALLY breaks my heart for her! She deserved better than that! Well Christina, if you by chance get to… Read more »
I don’t like Debbie. I didn’t like her on her other shows. She will try to dominate Mark. They should have worked it out or looked for someone. Else. I probably won’t watch much more. I really like Mark.
Without Christina there is no reason to watch…she was Home and Family! This is not an “Entertainment Tonight” show which I feel like your trying to turn it into! Home and Family was the ONLYshow of it’s kind and now you’ve ruined it!!! This was all handled so poorly by keeping viewers in the dark about what was happening and certainly the wrong replacement…..what were you thinking???
This was such a great show and family oriented as well. Sometimes staying with the saying “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.” would be worth applying. We will no longer be watching the show.
Is anyone else getting a flashback to when Gary Collins fired his co-host on the air in the old Home and Family Show – it was one of TVs worst moments?
Today’s show is a bore – the timing is off, and Mark Steines seems unable to cope with the change.
It looks like they got rid of a bunch of people.
If they are trying to get the younger crowd to watch, then forget it because they are busy with other things.
So sad..they took the “home out of the family” pretty sure my viewing will diminish..I love her she is real!!!
Christine was the show, I think you should tell us why on the show. Don’t know if I’ll keep watching. I do like Mark.
Home and Family as we came to know it has died with the firing of Cristina.
RIP HF
I watch the show for Ferrare mainly the cooking and diy It saddens me
Big, big, big mistake, the show will never be the same, Christina was the show. Enough said?
The people in charge could have handled the transition better for the fans by having a send-off party for Christina to make fans understand the change. They will probably do the same thing to Mark in a few weeks. If Christina wanted to work less, then they could have had her still come back occasionally. There is probably something going on behind the scenes in office politics. I don’t have anything against Debbie, but you can feel some tension in the room from other cast members. This situation was handled poorly by the producers IMO.
I so agree with you…I was feeling the tension these last few weeks as well. When Christina didn’t return today…I googled it. OMG did Hallmark mess this one up… Younger is not better in this case. Christina was the HEART of this show. Hallmark’s classy act, hit the bottom of the barrel and this long time 4 year viewer is moving on.
I am totally shocked that Christina was let go .. are they crazy? she was the show… i finally felt like I found a show that was interesting and wholesome…. i feel Hallmark will see that this is a HUGE mistake.. I m sorry but Debbie is very insecure and also at the same time to much into herself and I do not enjoy watching her……
Hallmark has cut the Heart out of Home and Family.The show may not make it to Season 6 .Cristina was the reason I started watching Season 1 and why I continued to watch . I do enjoy the other family members but Cristina is special . I feel a big hole in the show and My heart. Bless you Cristina for the joy you gave so many!
I am so very sad that Cristina will not be on the Home and Family Show. She is the reason I watched the show. She is so genuine, so beautiful and honest about everything – so open. I could go on and on! Big mistake letting her go. I probably won’t watch anymore, even though the other family members are great in their own way. I wish I knew what happened!? I could see Cristina trying to please everyone and to make everything so enjoyable. I just love her. I’m sorry, but she can’t be “replaced”. Debbie is great, but… Read more »
It is absolutely outrageous that the Home and Family network has replaced Cristina Ferrare! She was the reason I watched. Unbelievable! Hallmark has become another ageist network that must have the young hosts. Cristina was the very heart of that show, so talented and certainly deserved many more years as host. A Very poor decision! I, too, must now move on.