Kelly Ripa Recalls Jab From Regis Philbin Before Her First ‘Live’ Show

Kelly Ripa is looking back on the ups and downs of her relationship with former co-host Regis Philbin. The Live With Kelly and Ryan host looks back on her early days on what was then Live With Regis and Kelly in her new book Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, telling PEOPLE that the parts about her late co-star were the “hardest” to write.

There were “good and bad days” while hosting alongside Philbin from 2001 and 2011, she told the outlet. “I don’t want to feel like I’m slamming anyone or that I’m being disrespectful. But I also want people to know it was not a cakewalk,” Ripa said, noting that it took “years” for her to find her place and “earn things that are routinely given to the men I worked with,” including an office and place to put her computer. 

Ripa recalled getting the call to co-host alongside Philbin after his former partner Kathie Lee Gifford’s departure but was told repeatedly that ABC was not looking for a permanent replacement in what she thought was a warning. “They want you to know who your boss is,” she recalled hearing of Philbin. “It was very ominous, and it did not feel good.”

Ripa also recalled an exchange on her first day hosting alongside Philbin. “I came with hair and makeup. It was not an unusual thing for people on a television show to show up with,” she said. Just moments before she walked onstage, Philbin greeted her and executive producer Michael Gelman by saying, “Uh-oh, Gelman, it’s got an entourage.”

“I felt horrible,” Ripa recalled of that moment. “He was probably trying to be funny, but at the same time it felt like a pile-on. I understand that probably he didn’t want a co-host, but the network wanted me to be the co-host and I didn’t think I should pass up that opportunity. I don’t think it was fair to him. But it was also not fair to me.”

Despite the tough times, Ripa said she has nothing but love back on her time with Philbin, who died in July 2020 at 88 years old. “Off camera and outside of that building, it was a different thing,” she said. “The handful of times we spent together, I so enjoyed. We went to the same resort once on vacation and he came to a dinner I hosted – one of the favorite nights of my life. I never laughed so hard.” She continued, “If I could become a tenth as good, I’d be happy. It’s taking the audience on a ride with you and remembering that you are always the butt of the joke. I loved him, and I still do.” Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories comes out Sept. 27.