See ya later, Seacrest.
The number one daytime talk show in America is experiencing a major shakeup — in the best possible way…that is, if you feel on-air banter between two real-life spouses is missing in your life. Ryan Seacrest is officially leaving Live with Kelly and Ryan, and the person who’s going to replace him is Mark Consuelos, actor and husband of Kelly Ripa.
Yep. It’s going to be very, very interesting.
Kelly Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos, will replace Ryan Seacrest
In an Instagram post following the announcement (which was made by Seacrest on-air, and which you can watch below), Consuelos took the time to praise Seacrest — and poke a little fun.
“I love you like a brother,” Consuelos wrote to Seacrest. “I know I have some big shoes to fill…well actually they’re only a size 9, but you know what I mean.”
Consuelos then addressed Ripa, offering up a hint as to what the on-screen energy between him and his wife might be like. “My ride or die,” he wrote to Ripa. “This is going to be amazing! I can’t believe after all these years of listening to you talk for free, I found a way to get paid for it. Is this a great country or what?”
In a statement confirming his departure, Seacrest called his time on Live with Kelly and Ryan a “dream job.”
“Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career,” Seacrest said. “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.”
Seacrest went on to thank the rest of the cast and crew, noting that he’s “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,” Seacrest joked.
In her own statement, Ripa praised Seacrest as a host, and also as a friend.
“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,” Ripa said. “Ryan’s energy, passion, and love for entertainment is one-of-a-kind.”
Why Ryan Seacrest is leaving Live and when his last day will be
After Seacrest made his announcement on the air, Ripa took the moment to thank him directly. “There is nobody else like you,” she said, to a visibly moved Seacrest. “There is nobody who can really do what you do. I know you in real life as well as TV life. I say this about very few people: What you see is what you get. This is not an act, this is a good man. I am so endlessly impressed by you.”
So, why is Seacrest leaving, and when is his last day? Well, he’s pretty busy. “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,” he wrote on Instagram.
