Kelly Ripa was unexpectedly absent from “Live with Kelly and Mark” on Monday after undergoing a painful dental procedure that temporarily left her unable to do the one thing her job requires most: talk. Mark Consuelos entered the New York City studio without his wife and usual co-host, instead taking his seat alongside Kevin Jonas. Consuelos quickly addressed Ripa’s absence, revealing that the 55-year-old television personality was recovering from gum graft surgery intended to treat her receding gums.
Consuelos assured the audience that Ripa was recovering well despite being forced to remain silent. “She’s doing well. She’s doing great,” he said during the show with a smile. “She’s not allowed to talk.”
Jonas immediately recognized how difficult that particular restriction might be for the longtime talk show host. “Wow, that’s got to be the hardest thing that she’s ever done,” the 38-year-old musician joked.
Consuelos agreed that following the dentist’s instructions could be challenging for his famously talkative wife. “She’s such a great conversationalist, but I’m trying to [help] her [to] follow the rules, follow the directions,” he explained.
Kelly Ripa Was Given Strict Recovery Instructions
Ripa’s dentist reportedly gave her several specific rules to follow while recovering from the procedure. “She has to eat soft food, you can’t suck out of a straw, and you can’t examine it, which means pulling down the lip,” Consuelos told viewers.
The actor revealed that Ripa had asked him to inspect the surgical area by lowering her head so he could look at her gums. “It looks great!” he reportedly assured her.
Although Consuelos remained upbeat about her recovery, he admitted that the procedure had caused Ripa considerable discomfort. “It’s painful,” he told the studio audience.
The actor noted that his wife typically has an unusually high tolerance for discomfort, even during dental work. “But she famously doesn’t feel pain,” Consuelos continued. “When she goes to the dentist, she doesn’t really use the Novocaine. But this one hurts. So, I know it’s bad.”
‘Live’ Announces Kelly Ripa’s Temporary Replacements
Ripa’s representative confirmed that the television host is taking a brief break while she recovers. “Kelly is taking some time off, and we have awesome co-hosts,” the representative told the Daily Mail.
Despite his wife’s absence, Consuelos continued with Monday’s program alongside Jonas. Later in the episode, the “Scream 7” actor got down on the studio floor to participate in an arm-wrestling match with comedian Mary Elizabeth Barone, who stars in the Amazon Prime Video series “Overcompensating.”
Jonas is scheduled to return to co-host the show with Consuelos on Tuesday. The remainder of the week will feature a rotating lineup of guest hosts, with Mila Kunis joining Consuelos on Wednesday, Pamela Adlon stepping in on Thursday, and Scott Foley closing out the week on Friday.
A date for Ripa’s return was not announced.
Mark Consuelos Mourned His Father Earlier This Year
Ripa’s brief absence comes after the family endured a far more difficult period earlier this year following the death of Consuelos’ father, Saul Consuelos. The actor announced during the April 6 episode of “Live with Kelly and Mark” that his father had “passed away peacefully” on March 23 following a lengthy illness.
Standing beside her husband, Ripa became visibly emotional while remembering her father-in-law and the influence he had on their family. “I can honestly say I will miss him every day for the rest of my life,” she said. “He really is so symbolic of everything you are.”
Ripa also explained that the death had been particularly difficult for the couple’s children, Michael, Lola, and Joaquin, because it marked their first experience with losing a loved one. “This is the first loss they’ve ever experienced in their lives,” she shared.
Ripa expressed gratitude that her children had enough time with their grandfather to develop individual relationships with him. “You got to have deep, meaningful conversations [with them],” she added.
Kelly Ripa And Mark Consuelos Recently Celebrated 30 Years Of Marriage
Ripa’s surgery came shortly after she and Consuelos marked a major relationship milestone. The couple celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on May 1, with Ripa commemorating the occasion through a romantic Instagram tribute. “360 months. 1,565 weeks. 10,957 days. 15,778,080 minutes and I’ll be loving you always. Cheers to 30 years!” she wrote.
Ripa and Consuelos first met at a gym in 1995 before portraying onscreen couple Hayley Vaughan and Mateo Santos on the ABC soap opera “All My Children.” They eloped at the Chapel of the Bells in Las Vegas in 1996 after approximately one year of dating. The couple returned to the chapel for a visit in 2024.
