Ryan Seacrest’s departure from LIVE with Kelly and Ryan left Kelly Ripa without a co-host. Again. She previously hosted alongside Michael Strahan, but he left to join Good Morning America full-time. The producers had their eye on one person to replace Ryan: Kelly Ripa’s real-life husband, Mark Consuelos. He had guest-hosted many times over the years. However, he initially had doubts about co-hosting the talk show with his wife. Keep reading to find out what changed his mind.
Mark Consuelos Had Doubts About Hosting LIVE With Kelly Ripa
Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa are on their annual summer vacation. LIVE is airing pre-recorded episodes until later this month. They often spend time with their three children, Lola, Joaquin, and Michael, during the break. Click here to read more about their return.
The LIVE hosts recently celebrated their 30th anniversary this year after eloping to Las Vegas in 1996. They often use their real-life marriage as fodder for discussion before welcoming guests on the show. While Mark Consuelos now seems like the most obvious choice to replace Ryan Seacrest, he initially said no.
“So, when they asked me, we both said, ‘No, this is insane. We can’t do this,’” Mark Consuelos recalled on her podcast on his first anniversary of hosting. “I also thought that was kind of a bad idea. I was like, a husband and a wife hosting a morning show is different from a husband and wife acting together or producing something together,” Kelly Ripa shared on the Skinny But Not Fat podcast about her husband’s reluctance.
In addition to hosting LIVE, the couple has outside ventures, such as buying an Italian soccer team and producing Hulu’s recent exposé on squatters. Mark Consuelos ultimately accepted the role, but what changed his mind?
What Convinced Him
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2024, Mark Consuelos revealed that he made a pros and cons list about accepting the job. One of his biggest cons was his concern that hosting the daytime show would affect his acting career. However, that fear was unfounded. He starred on ABC’s 9-1-1 in Season 9 and had a role in Scream 7. The actor recently made his Broadway debut.
His busy acting schedule kept him out of the country and away from his wife. Mark Consuelos revealed that the idea of spending more time with Kelly Ripa was the main reason why he decided to co-host LIVE with Kelly and Mark. “I was kind of tired of living by myself. I don’t sleep well when I’m away from you. I literally don’t sleep,” he told her on an episode of the daytime program. Mark Consuelos immediately connected with the audience and Kelly Ripa revealed why.
“We have been together for 31 years and we are not afraid to express ourselves publicly, there is no artifice. We’re not worried about protecting each other’s feelings. We both just say what is on our minds and I guess people find that relatable,” she said about their on and off-screen relationship.
Tell us in the comments if you think her husband was the right choice to replace Ryan Seacrest.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
