Ryan Seacrest said Thursday he’s leaving the highly rated talk show “Live with Kelly and Ryan” and will be replaced by co-host Kelly Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos. The show will be renamed “Live with Kelly and Mark.” (Watch the video below.)
Seacrest made the surprise announcement during Thursday’s episode. He will depart the New York City-based ABC show in the spring as he works on “American Idol” episodes in Los Angeles.
“Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career,” he said, per Variety. “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.”
“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 added. “Ryan’s energy, passion and love for entertainment is one-of-a-kind.”
Ripa previously teamed with Regis Philbin from 2001 to 2011 and Michael Strahan from 2012 to 2016.
Seacrest will be exiting the show on a high. It has topped the 25-54 women’s demographic in ratings for 56 straight weeks, according to Variety.
The pairing of Ripa and hubby Consuelos, who for years played the bad guy on “Riverdale,” will likely generate more of the intimate disclosures the two have been known for when he served as a guest host.
Watch the announcement: