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?
Wow! Hallmark how could you do such an awful thing to such a wonderful person. Debbie is full of herself and Christina was so natural, wholesome and refreshing. I always thought Hallmark was different from the other stations. I guess not.
Goodbye Hallmark! And to think that I changed my provider so I could get Hallmark! God Bless you Christina…. You are a lot better than Hallmark and you don’t need them.
I’m disappointed in the Hallmark channel for not giving Christina a proper send-off. Debbie is very annoying and I will no longer watch.
These past three weeks without Cristina have been awful. Debbie is so stuck on herself that I started recording the show to make it easier to mute her. Bad choice.
On another note using segments as a commercial is tacky i.e. ice cream, cheese ect.
So stuck on herself and the fakest cryer I have ever seen!
This is so sad and a grave error by Hallmark. Christina was great. Christina’s leaving was handled very badly. I finally found a day time show I could enjoy. A little of everything for everyone. Just won’t be the same show not sure U will watch anymore. They really should not have done this.
So sorry to hear of Cristina leaving H & F. It reminds me of when Ann Curry was let go from the Today show. All the love these gals put in their shows and let go with no respect. Many people left Today, and started watching Good Morning America, thus, GMA ratings went thru the roof. I’m not fond of Debbie and Mark, so I too will be moving on to something else, only watching when Kym or Shirley are on. You really screwed up, Hallmark!
Loved original H&F but when it returned it didn’t keep my interest. Cristina then was reintroduced to the new show & I never missed an episode. Since Cristina has been on vacation I just fast forward through the shows as it can’t keep my interest. When I discovered Cristina will no longer be on the show l will no longer be watching. I guess what it amounts to is it should have been Cristina’s Home & Family show. It isn’t the other cast members fault, I love them but somehow she was the spice that made it really work. Loved… Read more »
I just finished deleting home and family auto record. No longer interested in the show that I have been watching since day one. Bad choice hallmark.
You are the only one!
You aren’t the only one!
Say good-bye to a season six! Debbie is no match for Cristina and she’s a bit annoying and self-centered for my tastes. I’ll find another show to watch now. Also, how cheap is HF to give the DIY winner a measly $1500.00? Weeks of hard work and effort…I wonder if the winner will make minimum wage. This HF show has turned ugly on a dime.
Watched H&F from its beginning & loved it until it came back without Cristina & it just couldn’t keep my interest. Cristina then rejoined the show & I haven’t missed an episode. H&F just doesn’t keep my interest without Cristina. Have been fast forwarding through the show with little interest waiting for Cristina to come back from vacation but now Im just canceling my recording. H&F was really Cristina’s show. She has made it what it is. I enjoy everyone on the show but it is nothing without Cristina.
Don’t get me wrong..I love Debbi…my main problem is not being truthful with the viewers..and just acting as if nothing major has happened… no send off..no goodbyes…no party..no closure..it was disrespectful to Cristina and to us the viewers….I always thought that Home & Family held themselves to a higher standard but I was wrong…the show no longer feels warm and comfortable.. it feels like everything else on T.V…..FAKE! I know no one in authority there cares but I for one am very disappointed… goodbye Home & Family…
Don’t love Debbie, but I agree with everything else you said.
This looks like a salary dispute to me.
So sorry to hear about Cristina leaving today. It was a very cold announcement without even a send-off as if she didn’t bring anything to the show. I will miss her and won’t be looking forward to any more shows. The “family” took longer to say goodbye (with tears in their eyes) to the 5 DYIers than Cristina who was the heart of the show. One last thing… The show should be renamed to Home and whatever leaving out the Family part because it no longer is a family to me.
I think Cristina was a great co-host, a lady classy and just the right blend of funny good looks and intelligent plus a really good interviewer. I hope the reason she wasn’t re-signed for season 5 had nothing to do with personal faith. Her obvious Christian values that shined during a Dollywood show prayer was refreshing and very appropriate for veterans honoring program. On the plus side now she has a lot more time for the 49 projects she’s working at the same time. God bless you Cristina… A pleasure. Mr Robin Blue
I’m truly sorrow for Christina to leave show I’ve been watching her since the first home and family show many years ago. She will be missed.
I’ve been a fan since her & Chuck Woolery started 20 years ago, Christina is the matriarch of Home & Family. It would have been nice if you would have allowed her to say goodby. Not as interested in the show anymore. Too bad!