CULVER CITY, Calif.—Michael Strahan says he doesn’t miss doing “Live with Kelly and Michael.”
In his first interview since his awkward exit from the show, Strahan told Chelsea Handler on Wednesday that he’s been enjoying the break from the talk show he hosted with Kelly Ripa.
Strahan left the show in May after ABC suddenly announced he would be joining “Good Morning America” full time. The news prompted Ripa to abruptly take time off after she learned of it only minutes before the rest of the world.
The network apologized and Ripa, upon her return, said the incident opened a conversation about workplace respect. Strahan had been on the show since September 2012, when he replaced Regis Philbin.
“I really haven’t had a chance to watch (‘Live’),” Strahan told Handler for an upcoming episode of her Netflix show, “Chelsea.” ‘'But I think I’ve been working so hard for the last seven or eight years since I retired from football, that it’s been a relief.”
Strahan said not hosting “Live” has given him a chance to travel and spend more time with his children.
“I really haven’t missed it,” he said. “But I loved it. Don’t get me wrong. I loved it. When you get a break, sometimes you kind of go, ‘Wow, I kind of needed it.’ I needed a break.”
Not that he’s been doing that much relaxing. Strahan also talked with Handler about his namesake clothing line — soon to include underwear— and hosting “The $100,000 Pyramid” game show this summer.
The “Chelsea” episode will be available early Friday morning.
