Since 1983, the Live talk show franchise has gone through a number of noticeable changes. In 2023, Ryan Seacrest left the series after six years as a cohost next to Kelly Ripa. In 2025, the show announced that it would be leaving its studio of 37 years. Viewers have wondered if the All My Children actress also plans to leave the talk show or continue with her cohosting duties.
When Did Kelly Ripa Join ‘Live’?
Kelly officially joined Live in 2001 after Kathie Lee Gifford departed the series. Alongside Regis Philbin, the soap opera alum established a great rapport and won over the hearts of the audience with her vibrant personality. After Regis left the program in 2011, Kelly had an array of different cohosts and stars who joined her at the news desk.
Why Did Ryan Seacrest Leave ‘Live’?
She was thrilled when Ryan, one of her closest friends, officially joined the show as a cohost in 2017. The media personality announced his departure from Live With Kelly and Ryan in February 2023.
“This is something that Kelly and I have been talking about for a long time, and it was a tough, tough decision. Last year we spoke, and I made the decision to make this my last season as cohost,” he said during an episode of the show.
Ryan marked his last episode of the program in April 2023 with his family and his then-girlfriend, Aubrey Paige Petcosky, in attendance.
“From the bottom of my heart and the bottom of all of our hearts, we just want to thank you for being wonderful, for being an original, authentic addition to this show,” Kelly told her former costar through tears. “You are forever our family. We will never say goodbye to you. We will only say, ‘See you soon.’ I love you.”
Is Kelly Ripa Leaving ‘Live’?
Though Ryan’s final episode was full of emotions, Kelly was joined by a new cohost soon after — her husband, Mark Consuelos. She has not announced any official plans to leave the long-running talk show.
“Kelly wasn’t going to go through that whole public search for a cohost again. She never enjoyed that,” an insider told Closer in March 2023. “Her audience loves Mark. And he’s never going to surprise her and quit — she hopes!”
As Mark juggles his acting career with being a live TV personality, Kelly is sometimes joined by a temporary cohost on some occasions.
“Kelly’s fine with a fill-in cohost if Mark gets a juicy acting gig,” the source continued.
For now, it seems the Emmy winner is more than happy to be working next to her husband, with whom she shares kids Michael, Lola and Joaquin.
“Live has been a dream job for Kelly, but I think this version with Mark will be her last,” the insider added. “Kelly dreams of relaxing more, vacationing, producing projects and maybe looking after a grandkid or two.”
However, Kelly did make some interesting comments about retirement.
“I am very steadfast in everything I do, and so when you have me, you have me for life,” she told E! News in August 2023. “Having said that, I don’t intend to work at this job for the rest of my life. I do talk about retirement with great interest, but right now I’m very happy, especially working with Mark.”
‘Live’ Moved to a New Studio
Kelly and Mark said goodbye to their old Upper West Side studio and moved into a new one in April 2025. The show officially will now be filmed at the Walt Disney Company’s new NYC headquarters downtown.
“Our kids grew up here,” Mark told People of the old studio. “They’d come visit mom here a lot — they were always backstage, even when they were babies.”
“They came to work with me every day until they went to school,” Kelly said. “They would go to All My Children with me, they would come here with me… we meant when we say they grew up in this building, in these four walls.”
