Kelly Ripa A No-Show On 'Live' After Michael Strahan Announces Exit
04/20/2016 10:32 am ET Updated Apr 20, 2016
Her absence only fuels reports that she was blindsided by her co-host's decision to leave.
By Stephanie Marcus
Mike Coppola via Getty Images
Kelly Ripa was a no-show on "Live with Kelly and Michael" Wednesday morning, following news that her co-host Michael Strahan would be leaving for a full-time gig on "Good Morning America."
Ripa's absence only fuels reports that she was blindsided by Strahan's exit. According to TMZ, the 45-year-old made the decision to skip the episode shortly after Strahan let her and the show's producer know of his plans to leave for "GMA" just before the announcement was made public. Sources told the website that Ripa, who officially joined "Live" as a co-host in February 2001, feels humiliated and disrespected that she wasn't kept in the loop and told sooner.
Ripa has yet to comment on Strahan's decision to leave "Live."
Of course, the show must go on. And awkwardly it did. Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Ana Gasteyer filled in for Ripa on Wednesday and Strahan somewhat addressed his exit from the talk show, saying, "I've been in the news lately ... I'm leaving this show and I'm going over to 'GMA' full time, which is going to happen in September. It's the same channel. I'm not going anywhere. I was reading some stuff and it sounded like I died."
He went on to thank viewers and added, "On top of that, I've worked with an incredible staff here and I'm always available to guest co-host if I get a call because I consider myself a part of this family forever."
Somehow, we don't see him coming back to co-host?
ABC told The Huffington Post that Ripa "had the day off today."
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Stephanie Marcus
Senior Entertainment Editor, HuffPost
Kelly Ripa Michael Strahan Live With Kelly And Michael
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