Kelly Ripa is giving us a glimpse into her life in her new book Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, which was released September 27. In the book Ripa talked about her marriage to Mark Consuelos as well as her relationship with former Live! co-host Regis Philbin.
In her book, she revealed there were struggles when she joined the talk show after Kathie Lee Gifford's departure, especially considering Philbin wasn't looking for a co-host.
Ripa said writing the part about her relationship with Philbin was the most difficult part, but she wanted to set the record straight.
Ripa is making the rounds promoting her book.
You can view her interview with CBS Mornings below:
\u201cLongtime host @KellyRipa is now an author \u2014 and she's sharing stories from her 26-year marriage to Mark Consuelos, the importance of advocating for yourself and her relationship with former co-host Regis Philbin.\u201d— CBS Mornings (@CBS Mornings) 1664286582
When asked about bad blood and rumors Philbin was not invited back to the show, Ripa replied:
"That's not true. And what was so baffling...was that he'd been invited back, he'd been invited back to host."
"I had seen him on camera and off camera, and I wasn't sure why A) I was villified and B) why it would be solely my responsibility to maintain what was really just a working relationship."
Ripa continued:
"We did not share this close friendship that was assumed. I have still enormous respect for him, and I truly think he is still the greatest storyteller of all time."
Many validated Ripa's struggles, noting the work and relationship couldn't have come easy.
\u201c@HuffPost They were from different generations, I can only imagine the stuff he said around her, yikes. She was good at dealing with his old man behavior, RIP Regis\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1664304456
\u201c@myhipusername @HuffPost A lot of talent show tread lightly imagined if crew people from any show decided to just talk and didn\u2019t care about job (or career) security. @huffpost how much you paying crew people to talk I sure some retirees have more stories than you know what too do with\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1664304456
\u201c@HuffPost I don\u2019t want to look like I\u2019m slamming someone BUT, like she is dreamy to work with!\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1664304456
\u201c@people Regis was never my favorite. I appreciate Kelly for her quick wit. Kathie Lee had the same comedic skill. Most talk show hosts do not. They just yammer on.\u201d— People (@People) 1664204654
\u201c@people Regis had a lot of female co-hosts who were pushed out because women weren't allowed to age on TV. Kelly Ripa took matters into her own hands and changed the direction.\u201d— People (@People) 1664204654
Others felt the revelations were in poor taste as Philbin is unable to defend himself.
\u201c@HuffPost Why do some celebs suddenly remember they need to \u201ctell their story\u201d when the other person they have gripes against are no longer alive so they cannot defend themselves? What couldn\u2019t they say to the other party\u2019s face when they were alive? Just curious.\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1664304456
\u201c@HuffPost Her claim that media pitted her against Regis is a laugh. \nAsk Michael Stratham a/b how horrid she was to him. @rolandsmartin\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1664304456
\u201c@HuffPost Is she really doing this\u2026 How dare she\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1664304456
\u201c@HuffPost I will not stand for Regis slander. Shameful @KellyRipa\u201d— HuffPost (@HuffPost) 1664304456
\u201c@people Pretty sure he felt the same way\u201d— People (@People) 1664204654
Ripa finished the interview confirming she did cherish their time together.
"I loved working with him. I thought it was a unique experience. I learned so much."
@kileywrestling/Bluesky
