Seacrest Out: Ryan leaving ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’; Kelly Ripa’s husband Mark Consuelos to succeed him
Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on February 17, 2023
On Thursday’s installment of Live with Kelly and Ryan, Ryan Seacrest made the surprising announcement that he was leaving the show he’s co-hosted since 2017. He will “pass the baton” to frequent guest host, and Kelly Ripa‘s real-life husband, Riverdale actor Mark Consuelos.
Calling the news “bittersweet,” Seacrest said the “tough, tough decision” was “something that [Kelly] and I have been talking about for a long time…”
He continued, “What I plan to do is once American Idol starts from Los Angeles later this spring, I’ll head out to the West Coast and host that show,” adding he’ll return to fill in as a guest host on occasion.
Seacrest noted, “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.”
Saying he and the crew have “made memories to last a lifetime,” Ryan added, “I’m excited to pass the baton to Kelly’s ‘real’ husband, Mark.”
Consuelos has been married to Ripa since 1996, and they have three children: 19-year-old Joaquin, Lola, 21, and Michael, 25. Mark, who previously worked with Kelly on All My Children, often fills in for Seacrest on the morning show.
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