Sophia Michaels
After six seasons, Ryan Seacrest has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as cohost of “Live With Kelly and Ryan.” The news was revealed during the Feb. 16 episode of the long-running show, and Seacrest shared that he and Kelly Ripa had been discussing the “tough, tough decision” for a while. Ripa, who’s been cohosting her show since 2001, called Seacrest a “gem” and “one of my best friends.”
Mark Consuelos, Ripa’s husband, will be replacing Seacrest on the show, which will now be rebranded as “Live With Kelly and Mark.” In a statement provided to POPSUGAR, Seacrest said that working alongside Ripa over the past six years had been a “dream job” and one of the highlights of his career. He thanked executive producer Michael Gelman and the entire “Live With Kelly and Ryan” staff and crew for making memories that will last a lifetime.
Ripa opened up about Seacrest’s departure in an interview with Variety, revealing that his decision initially brought on some anxiety. Seacrest isn’t straying too far from the ABC family, however, as he’ll remain host of “American Idol” for season 21 and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.” He’ll also still be back to guest host in the future.
