Kelly Ripa jumped from soap star to daytime talk show host in 2001. She wasn’t originally considered for the LIVE! co-host position. But she also wasn’t looking for a hosting gig at the time. Ripa immediately became a top contender after she filled in. For the next 25 years, Ripa would sit next to many co-hosts. Ripa looked back at her career on LIVE and the advice Oprah Winfrey gave her.
Key Takeaways
- Ripa is reaching her 25-year career milestone, the same amount of time Oprah spent hosting her eponymous talk show.
- Oprah urged Ripa never to walk away from her talk show.
- Ripa learned that it’s not about her; rather, it’s about the audience and the family that she built.
Kelly Ripa Shares the Advice She Got From Oprah
In an interview with Variety, Ripa reflected on 25 years of hosting a daytime talk show. She recalled a piece of advice she recently received from Oprah Winfrey. Oprah ended her talk show after 25 years, so naturally, Ripa had to ask her if she should do the same. She urged Ripa not to follow suit because of current events. Oprah told Ripa that people need something uplifting in these challenging times.
“She’s like, ‘Don’t leave. Don’t do it. Right now, you’ll regret it,'” Ripa said. “With you and Mark, the dynamic, the show is more important than ever. People really relate to it, and they need that in this world of a lot of darkness and an endless 24-hour, never-ending news cycle.'”
But Ripa wanted more details. When is the right time to say goodbye? She wanted Oprah to give her a number. “But I always say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We are really having a very good time,” the All My Children alum realized.
Kelly Ripa Refuses to Retire
Ripa first co-hosted with Regis Philbin for 10 years until he left in 2011, around the same time Oprah ended her talk show. Then, Ripa would co-host with Michael Strahan and Ryan Seacrest.
She finally found her rhythm with her husband, Mark Consuelos. He joined the show in 2023. There was no co-host audition like there were the other times. Consuelos became a permanent host on April 17, 2023, succeeding Seacrest. And they have Daytime Emmys to show for their success, with Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Talk Show Host in 2024 and for Outstanding Talk Show just last year.
READ: Find out why Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are jumping on the “airport divorce” trend.
“I want to see this show stay on the air as long as linear TV lives. The show is far more important than any two hosts, so I just want the show to live forever because it’s a really, really great piece of history,” Ripa continued. “It’s also a great way for people to have worry-free TV that they can watch with their kids.”
What are your thoughts on Ripa’s 25-year mark on LIVE? What do you think of the advice that Oprah gave her? Sound off below in the comments section.
MORE: Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos share wild dream involving second spouses.
