‘It Took Years’: Kelly Ripa Talks Early Struggles With Former Co-Host Regis Philbin

Talk show host Kelly Ripa opened up about her early struggles with her former co-host, the late Regis Philbin, saying despite what people saw, “it took years” for her to “earn” her place on the show and receive fair treatment.

Ripa recently discussed landing the “Live! With Regis and Kelly” gig with Philbin in 2001 following Kathy Lee Gifford’s departure, explaining to People magazine that things weren’t smooth initially.

“There were good and bad days,” Ripa shares of hosting the talk show with the late star from 2001 to 2011. “I don’t want to feel like I’m slamming anyone or that I’m being disrespectful.”

“But I also want people to know it was not a cakewalk,” she added. “It took years to earn my place there and earn things that are routinely given to the men I worked with. Including an office and a place to put my computer.”

“The biggest misconception is that it all came easily,” the TV host continued. “People think I just showed up one day and was handed a job and I lived happily ever after and now everything’s perfect. But it never is that way.”

Kelly Ripa reveals that she’s thinking about when she’ll say goodbye to “Live” after nearly two decades! https://t.co/SgViEKqhG8

— ExtraTV (@extratv) September 27, 2022

Ripa told People that she cherished the few times they spent together off of the set before Philbin’s death in 2020.

“Off camera and outside of that building, it was a different thing,” Kelly shared. “The handful of times we spent together, I so enjoyed. We went to the same resort once on vacation and he came to a dinner I hosted—one of the favorite nights of my life. I never laughed so hard.”

And now the TV host admits she’s looking toward the next step in her career after two decades on Live!, Extra TV noted.

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Tonight on @extratv

Kelly Ripa reveals she’s current quiet quitting and thinking about walking away from Live! in the “not so distant future.” pic.twitter.com/pQt2wab8EN

— Katie Krause Mork (@Katie_Krause) September 27, 2022

“I’ve been quiet quitting for at least 10 years, maybe 15,” Ripa laughed. “But I do believe in shepherding in somebody new. I would like to, eventually, in the not-too-distant future come to a place where somebody gets to have their new young family on TV and ingratiate themselves into our audiences’ life.”

Ripa has been married to actor Mark Consuelos for 26 years, and the couple shares three children.

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