Ryan Seacrest Out At ‘Kelly And Ryan’—Will Be Replaced By Ripa’s Husband Mark Conseulos

Topline

Ryan Seacrest announced Thursday he is leaving morning talk show Live with Kelly and Ryan, and will be replaced by co-host Kelly Ripa’s husband Mark Conseulos, while Seacrest will remain at the helm of his radio shows, American Idol and other programs.

Key Facts

The announcement was made on-air during Thursday’s episode, and in a statement Seacrest said “working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career.”

After being based in New York City, Seacrest will move back to the West Coast.

Seacrest, 48, joined the show in 2017 on three-year contract following the departure of Michael Strahan, and Ripa has hosted Live since 2001, when the late Regis Philbin was her co-host.

Seacrest joked that he’s “excited to pass the baton to Kelly’s ‘real’ husband, Mark,” who has previously appeared on the program and filled in for Seacrest.

Seacrest will remain on-air until the spring, and he will continue hosting American Idol, another ABC program.

Once Seacrest departs the show, it will be rebranded as Live with Kelly and Mark.

Big Number

56. That’s how many weeks Live with Kelly and Ryan was the No. 1 highest-rated daytime talk show among women ages 25-54, a key demographic. It’s the No. 1 daytime talk show among households and total viewers as well, according to ABC.

Surprising Fact

In 2020, Seacrest made an estimated $60 million, according to Forbes, landing him at No. 28 on the year’s list of the highest-paid celebrities.

Key Background

Without Live on his plate, Seacrest will still be one of the busiest men in Hollywood. He hosted American Idol from 2002 to 2016, and was the only one of the reality competition’s original personalities to join its reboot in 2017. The 21st season of Idol airs Sunday. Seacrest has hosted a daily radio program, On Air With Ryan Seacrest, since 2004. It’s nationally syndicated through iHeartRadio and is home to the countdown show American Top 40 With Ryan Seacrest. His deal lasts until 2025. Seacrest also runs the production house Ryan Seacrest Productions, known as RSP, which famously produced Keeping Up With The Kardashians for 20 seasons. He has an executive producer credit on the family’s newer Hulu show, The Kardashians. Seacrest has hosted Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest since 2005. In 2020, Seacrest suffered a health-scare live on-air during American Idol, in which he slurred his words and his eye drooped. He didn’t share what caused the incident, though in 2021 he told the Wall Street Journal, “I definitely knew that I needed to slow down…. I just had burnt myself out. I was absolutely beat and fatigued and just wasn’t letting myself accept that.” He said he was advised to turn down opportunities. “To say no to things is difficult. You want to say yes. When I say no to something, I feel guilt in terms of an obligation.”

Tangent

Consuelos will be Ripa’s fourth permanent co-host during her tenure hosting Live. She joined the show alongside Regis Philbin. After his departure in 2011, Ripa was joined by a rotating mix of dozens of celebrities in a bid to find her a permanent partner. Michel Strahan served as the co-host of Kelly and Michael from 2012 to 2016, before he left to join Good Morning America and was ultimately replaced by Seacrest. Ripa and Strahan had a difficult relationship during his time on the show, and he told the New York Times in 2020 that he joined GMA at the request of network hire-ups. Ripa and Consuelos have been married since 1996 and have three children together.

Further Reading

Ryan Seacrest Departs ‘Live With Kelly and Ryan’ After 6 Seasons (The Wrap)