Kelly Ripa Not Leaving ‘Live,’ Won’t Cut Back To Hosting 3 Days Per Week, Despite Rumors


Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest have been co-hosting Live with Kelly and Ryan for two weeks, and some rumors say they already need some time apart. An inside source reportedly told Radar Online that Ripa is cutting back her air time, which means Seacrest will be introducing more guest hosts this summer. Is Ripa getting ready to leave Live altogether?

“Come this summer, Kelly is only going to be doing four shows a week on Live — not even pre-taping Friday’s show,” an insider revealed. “Ryan will be getting guest co-hosts and will have to be there on Fridays live instead of doing a pre-tape on Thursdays of Friday shows.”

The insider added that Seacrest is also planning on doing an entire week without Ripa.

The news follows rumors that Ripa and Seacrest are fighting backstage over his potential future on ABC’s reboot of American Idol. Ripa is reportedly worried that Seacrest will host American Idol and steal all the attention. She’s also fearful of losing Seacrest and suffering another betrayal.

However, in light of all the rumors, a spokesperson for the daytime talk show debunked the reports of an ongoing feud. The rep also revealed that Ripa is not planning on leaving the show anytime soon and will continue normal duties throughout the summer.

“This isn’t true,” the spokesperson said. “Kelly and Ryan will continue to host the show together five days a week throughout the summer, except during their individual vacation weeks.”

Kelly Ripa was blindsided when Michael Strahan left Live last year for a spot on Good Morning America. After Strahan jumped ship, Ripa cut all ties with the former NFL star and clearly didn’t appreciate how the network handled things. To help ease her mind, Ripa is planning on taking some time off the show and starting back up in the fall.

“Kelly will be spending most of August out in the Hamptons and will not be doing any shows — they will all be repeats,” the source shared. “The plan is to gear up with all new Live shows in September after Labor Day — complete with a whole new look for the show as well.”

While rumors of a feud continue, She Knows reports that everything is fine behind the scenes. In fact, not only are Ripa and Seacrest good friends but they also just started working together and are still figuring things out. The only reason Ripa is taking some time off is because she finally has the luxury of doing so.

“They’re thrilled to be working together, and it shows,” an insider stated. “Their chemistry is palpable.”

That said, Seacrest’s involvement in American Idol could definitely change that dynamic. The Daily Beast reports that ABC hired Seacrest because they wanted him to host American Idol and Live. A source even claims that the two hosting gigs were part of the same deal and the network will announce its plans in a few weeks.

ABC has not said anything about its future plans for American Idol, though the network recently purchased the rights from Fox. Given Seacrest’s history on the show and his recent hiring, there’s a good chance ABC will tap him to host the hit singing competition. Whether or not this interferes with his co-hosting duties on Live is yet to be seen.

Ryan Seacrest is reportedly all set to return as the host of ‘American Idol’ in 2018. [Image by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images]

A rep for Seacrest claims that the rumors surrounding American Idol are false. The rep says that Seacrest was brought on to co-host Live, and any other negotiations are completely independent of the show. A source also revealed that Ripa is being kept in the loop this time around.

Live with Kelly and Ryan airs weekdays on ABC.

Tell us! How long do you think the Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest partnership will last? Let us know in the comments below.

[Featured Image by ABC/Disney]

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