Ryan Seacrest Is Leaving ‘Live With Kelly and Ryan’ After 6 Years
After six seasons, Ryan Seacrest announced on today’s (February 16) episode of Live With Kelly and Ryan that he will be leaving the show this Spring.
Kelly Ripa, who has hosted the show since 2001, won’t be left in the cold. Her husband, Mark Consuelos, will be Seacrest’s replacement. The show will be officially rebranded as Live with Kelly and Mark.
Seacrest won’t be out of a job, though. The television personality, 48, plans to head back to the west coast, where he will continue to host American Idol and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.
“Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career. She has been an amazing partner, friend, and confidant, and although we will always be a part of each other’s lives, I will miss our mornings together,” said Seacrest on Thursday’s episode. “I also want to thank Michael Gelman and the entire staff and crew. We’ve made memories to last a lifetime, met some of the most incredible people and had the warmest welcome into the homes of so many viewers across America. It’s been a memorable ride and now I’m excited to pass the baton to Kelly’s ‘real’ husband, Mark.”
Ripa, 52, said, “I’m so grateful to have spent the last six years beside my dear friend of too many decades to count and will miss starting my days with Ryan. Ryan’s energy, passion and love for entertainment is one-of-a-kind.”
Seacrest was first named Ripa’s permanent co-host on Live in May 2017, and replaced Michael Strahan. Prior to that, Kelly was on Live with Regis Philbin since 2001.
