Michael Strahan only has a couple weeks left as co-host of “Live with Kelly and Michael” and it looks like Kelly Ripa isn’t letting him forget it.
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Ripa’s return follows after news emerged that she received a personal apology from ABC for failing to inform her earlier about her co-host Michael Strahan’s decision to move to “Good Morning America”. “How dare you leave Kelly!”
She hasn’t addressed her absence, which came after she was told shortly after Tuesday’s show about Strahan’s switch.
According to many reports, Ripa was “blindsided” by Strahan’s departure, apparently only finding out about it minutes before ABC made the news public. And some may say ‘She gets $20 million dollars a year, go cry in a pile of money.’ But it’s incredibly disrespectful.
Speculation was rampant that the 48-year-old was a front-runner for the gig since Strahan announced he was departing the chat fest for “Good Morning America”.
Wearing a red pantsuit and her game face, Kelly Ripa went back to work this morning and got down to business.
Ripa alerted staff members of her return in an email sent late Friday. She is really close with Anderson and Andy and she loves them.
While lots of A-list names have come up, the source said Ripa will want “someone who she can star next to, and not feel is eclipsing her and getting more attention”.
“I gained some perspective”. It started a much greater conversation – about communication and consideration and, most importantly, respect in the workplace. “With Kelly and Michael” co-host Michael Strahan would be leaving the show at the end of summer.
Apparently her dislike of Michael was well known prior to his “GMA” departure. They were also extended to Strahan and both of the celebrities’ agents.
“I’m going to be completely honest, I am fairly certain that there are trained professional snipers with tranquilizer darts in case I drift off message”, she joked.
‘We have an incredible team.
Ripa and ABC have yet to comment on who will fill Strahan’s giant shoes but a source recently told People magazine that Cohen, Cooper, Josh Groban and Seth Meyers have been lined up as guest host.
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“I still feel”, Ripa replied, looking at Cooper, “like you and I are destined to be together, someday, somehow”.
