Longtime American Idol host Ryan Seacrest is saying goodbye to his morning show role on Live with Kelly and Ryan. Seacrest, 48, is leaving after six years co-hosting alongside Kelly Ripa. He’s looking ahead to his final day. He says, “I’ll miss this team of people, we’ve gotten to know each other and become very, very close.”
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“I’ve worked on a lot of different shows,” Seacrest said in a chat with E! News on Thursday. “It’s a unique environment here where many people have been here a long time, they’ve raised their kids whilst being on this show.
Ryan Seacrest Said That He Will Miss Being Next To Kelly Ripa ‘Every Single Day’
“And I’ll miss being next to Kelly every single day,” Seacrest said of Ripa, 52. “We’re extremely close, we’re very good friends and we’ll remain good friends, but it’s like there’s that hour of communicating with somebody. You become super excited about doing it, you laugh and then of course you can’t remember what you said to each other, so I’ll miss that part.”
Seacrest is handing over his host chair to Ripa’s husband Mark Consuelos, 51. But he said that the door is open for him to return to the series “now and then.” Seacrest announced on Feb. 16 that he was going to be leaving the ABC show, PEOPLE reports.
“Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career,” he said in a statement about his exit from the show. It will officially be called Live with Kelly & Mark. “She has been an amazing partner, friend, and confidant, and although we will always be a part of each other’s lives, I will miss our mornings together.
Seacrest Said He’s Excited To Pass Baton To Ripa’s ‘Real’ Husband Mark Consuelos
“I also want to thank [executive producer] Michael Gelman and the entire staff and crew — we’ve made memories to last a lifetime, met some of the most incredible people and had the warmest welcome into the homes of so many viewers across America,” Seacrest added. “It’s been a memorable ride and now I’m excited to pass the baton to Kelly’s ‘real’ husband, Mark.”
Hours after announcing his departure, Seacrest wished Consuelos well with a playful Instagram post. “And congratulations to my brother Mark, feel free to remodel my dressing room!” he captioned the post. It featured a series of snapshots of himself and Ripa together. “I’m going to miss my work wife and all the laughter we share,” he continued.
