Regis Philbin Speaks out About Kelly Ripa’s Viral Bikini Body Photo

Regis Philbin weighed in on the controversy surrounding Mark Consuelos posting photos of his wife, Kelly Ripa, in a bikini. The legendary TV host said Ripa she looked pretty good when he last saw her “20 years ago.”

After a TMZ videographer caught the 86-year-old Philbin up to speed with what is going on with his former co-star, Philbin thought for a moment.

“I think she looked pretty good when I saw her, which was… about 20 years ago,” Philbin said with a laugh. “You think she’s good now? You should have seen her when I saw her.”

Philbin and Ripa hosted Live! With Regis and Kelly from 2001 until he let the show in 2011. He was replaced by Michael Strahan, and later Ryan Seacrest.

The controversy with Ripa began last weekend, when Consuelos posted photos from their beach getaway, showing the 47-year-old Ripa in a bikini.

“Sultry Sundays with the sexy one are my fave,” Consuelos wrote in the caption for one of the photos. The photos brought out Instagram trolls though, who thought the mother of three should not be wearing a bikini at her age, despite being in great shape.

“I wanted to take a couple of days to weigh in. Probably should’ve earlier arguably. But I wanted to be above it. Well, not I’m not. I posted this pic of the women I most admire,” Consuelos wrote in response. “Yes she’s wearing a bikini at age 47 and will no doubt wear one for many years to come. If that offends you in some way, if it triggers you, or some other psychosis you’re suffering from, I suggest you get over it and get used to it. To all the males that had something negative to say. I suggest you bring it up with me if ever I’m lucky enough to run into you. I’m going to get back to my vacation now.”

There were plenty of positive comments about Ripa’s body, too.

“I’m totally lost on body shaming. She looks great. I guess I don’t understand these people,” one person recently wrote.

“She’s absolutely gorgeous inside and out!! Love her and admire her body every day while watching [Live With Kelly and Ryan],” another added.

Ripa also made responding to trolls part of her social media personality. Earlier this month, a troll accused Consuelos of trying to make himself look taller in a 2008 photo.

“Please tell me how it is I can try to look taller,” Consuelos replied. “I’m dying to know.”

“He’s tall where it counts babe,” Ripa clapped back.

As for Regis, the hardest-working man in showbusiness is still working, recently appearing in 2015 episodes of New Girl and The Odd Couple. He also occasionally stops by the TODAY Show to visit former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford.