In a few months’ time, Ryan Seacrest’s seat next to Kelly Ripa will be vacant. On Thursday, Seacrest announced his exit from Live with Kelly and Ryan, the syndicated ABC talk show he first joined in 2017 following Michael Strahan’s departure. But when exactly will Seacrest’s last appearance on the morning show be?
Following a six-year stint greeting morning viewers at Ripa’s side, Seacrest will begin transitioning out of Live beginning this spring. Addressing his departure on Instagram just after his exit was announced live on-air, Seacrest explained, “I’ll be transitioning out of Live this Spring to shoot the 21st season of American Idol in LA, continue my radio show on KIIS-FM and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve, and focus my summer on opening three more Ryan Seacrest Foundation Studios in pediatric hospitals across the country.” An exact date for when this transition will begin, as well as his final episode as Ripa’s co-host, was not given. Although Seacrest will be departing as co-host, Live viewers can still expect to see his face from time to time. Seacrest went on to add that he is “looking forward to coming back to guest host in the future.”
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“I’m going to miss my work wife and all the laughter we share. When I signed on to host Live in 2017 it was meant to be for 3 years, but I loved the job and working with Kelly so much that I extended my time and last year I made the decision to stay on for one more final season,” Seacrest wrote in the post. “I’ve been grateful to be able to share a cup of coffee with our viewers everyday, one of the best parts of the gig.”
Seacrest’s spot on Live won’t be vacant for long. Amid his departure, the show will undergo a rebrand, transitioning from Live with Kelly and Ryan to Live with Kelly and Mark, as Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos, is set to join as co-host. Consuelos has appeared on the talk show on numerous occasions, even guest hosting, and long-time Live executive producer Michael Gelman said bringing the actor on will put a literal spin on the initial concept for Live. According to Gelman, the real concept of the show, in a symbolic sense, is that they are husband and wife. They have their coffee mugs and they’re chit-chatting about what’s going on.”
Seacrest joined Ripa on Live in 2016, originally singing a three-year contract. He ultimately stayed on for six years. Ripa’s previous co-hosts include Regis Philbin, who left in 2011, with Michael Strahan named as his successor. Strahan remained attached to the show through 2016. Live With Kelly and Ryan is currently the No. 1 daytime talk show, across network and syndicated programming in both total viewers and household ratings.
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