Kelly Ripa Jokes About Wanting a ‘Gray Divorce’ From Mark Consuelos

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos remain one of Hollywood’s beloved couples. The daytime talk show hosts and actors have been married for nearly 30 years. In a recent discussion about marriage and divorce on their weekday morning show, Ripa opened up about whether divorce was ever on the table for the parents of three.

“I was reading this article, and I started talking to Mark about it, and Mark got very defensive,” she said. Her husband replied: “‘Why are you reading that article?’”

Ripa found the article “fascinating” as she waited around in an airport. The article dived into the rise of Gray Divorces—a term for divorces between couples who are typically over the age of 50 and have been in long term marriages before splitting. 

Per the article, Ripa explained that research indicates “Back in 1990, only 8.7 percent of marriages among people over 50 ended in divorce. And by 2019, that number had jumped to 36 percent.”  She says the main contributor is linked to empty nest syndrome, lack of common interests, infidelity and health problems, among others. But Consuelos is confident his wife will one day “change my diapers.” She agreed, noting, “Of course I will. I do it all the time.”

She then joked the article was so fascinating that she thought to herself about he idea of a gray divorce: “Oh, I want one. Like it sounds like something amazing,” she continued, “and then you realize, oh, this is very dark subject matter. But the voice of the narrator is so soothing.” Luckily, she says she and Consuelos “still have a lot in common.”

The gray divorce concept may be true. Judge Greg Mathis’s wife Linda recently filed for divorce after more than 40 years of marriage. They share four adult children. The tough as nails TV judge has spoken to several media outlets since the shocking filing and says they are close to reconciling. He insinuates that his busy schedule is what pushed her to file.