Ryan Seacrest announces Last Day as co-host of “Live”
As announced Sunday night (March 12) on Countdown to Oscars(R) 95: The Red Carpet LIVE, Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest and Mark Consuelos revealed for the first time that Ryan’s last day as co-host of Live will be Friday, April 14.
Actor Mark Consuelos will join wife, Kelly Ripa, as co-host of Live starting Monday, April 17. The show will be rebranded as Live with Kelly and Mark. Kelly Ripa has hosted the show since 2001.
Seacrest will remain with the Disney Family
Ryan plans to move back to the west coast and will remain part of the Disney family. He’ll continue to host American Idol and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. He’ll also continue his radio show on KIIS-FM and plans to open 3 more Ryan Seacrest Studios for children. Ryan’s departure from Live, which he began hosting in 2017, is timed with the beginning of the American Idol 2023 live shows, broadcasting from Los Angeles.
Ryan Seacrest “Live” Bosses Feared his “Exhaustion”
Watch the clip below. “It’s bittersweet,” Ryan said of leaving Live. “We have such a great relationship and friendship and working relationship and Mark is going to take over…it’s going to be an exciting last few weeks and a lot to come.”
A “dream” job
“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,” Ryan said in a recent press statement. “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.”
As daytime’s longest running talk show, Live continues to dominate in the ratings as daytime’s No. 1 talk show among key demos over the past four years.
