Kelly Ripa hasn’t said much regarding the impending departure of Michael Strahan, who is set to take a full-time gig with “Good Morning America” in September.
During her grand return to “LIVE! With Kelly and Michael,” she expressed how proud she was of Strahan, but hasn’t said anything else—until Tuesday’s episode of the morning talk show.
“A week from this Friday is Michael’s final show here at ‘Live!’,” said Ripa on May 3 as the audience jeered. Strahan’s last show is on May 13.
An audience member yelled, “We still love you, Kelly!”
With confusion etched upon the pair’s faces, Ripa with a laugh, responded with: “Oh--oh thanks, I’m still here.”
As for what will happen during the former NFL’s last show, the 45-year-old former soap actress shared some of the details.
“We‘ll remember. We’ll reminisce. We’re going to look back at the fun times we’ve had together--wait till you see all the stuff that we’ve done, you’re not going to believe it,” she told Strahan.
“So join us for Michael’s Flashback Friday Farewell on Friday the 13th,” she said before she began to hysterically laugh about the irony of the date. “You can’t plan this! You literally cannot plan it.”
It has been a tough ending for the pair who have co-hosted the ABC show together for the past four years.
Ripa was blindsided and “beyond angry” about the news that Strahan will leave “LIVE!” The mother of two took some time off and in that span celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary on vacation with husband Mark Consuelos.
In her absence, Strahan worked alongside actress Shay Mitchell and journalist Erin Andrews. As to who will replace Strahan, there is no official candidate, though the rumor mill has suggested Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper are considerations for permanent replacements.
Amid the drama that has surrounded the morning show, Strahan and Ripa won a 2016 Emmy for Best Entertainment Talk Show Host.
