ABC was aware of Ryan Seacrest’s departure from “Live with Kelly and Ryan” as early as last summer, according to sources cited by Page Six. And network executives had already selected his replacement.
ABC reportedly courted Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos, since last year to replace Ryan Seacrest on “Live with Kelly and Ryan.”
According to sources, ABC executives approached Consuelos for the position last summer in anticipation of Seacrest’s departure.
As Seacrest announced his departure on Thursday morning, Ripa stated on air that they had “been talking about it for a long time,” but did not specify how long.
Seacrest, 48, added, “That was a difficult, difficult decision… Last year, we spoke and I decided that this would be my last season as co-host alongside Kel… which is heartbreaking.”
A TV insider informed us that Ripa’s ex-soap opera star husband has co-hosted the show approximately 100 times over the years, and social media participation has increased when he and Ripa, 52, are on the air together.
ABC, according to a source, viewed Consuelos, 51, as a “built-in host” for the show.
Despite all the preparations, the show was able to keep the reveal under wraps until Thursday, when Ryan Seacrest broke the news.
Seacrest told viewers, “Once ‘American Idol’ begins airing from Los Angeles later this spring, I intend to travel to the West Coast and host that program.”
Also, he stated that he will “guest host and fill in” on “Live.”
Ripa stated, “My husband, Mark Consuelos, is the only person I can think of who is capable of carrying [Ryan’s] torch as [he] has carried it.”
She stated that she and Ryan Seacrest had jokingly referred to the new husband-wife co-hosting arrangement as “the nation’s strangest social experiment.”
Michael Strahan and Regis Philbin have been her former co-hosts.
ABC’s representative did not comment immediately.
»ABC attempted to recruit Mark Consuelos for ‘Live with Kelly’ as early as last summer«
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