‘Live With Kelly & Ryan’ Stars Headed To Primetime
The stars of Live with Kelly and Ryan, Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest, are headed to primetime, but not in the way you would imagine.
The project, which is in development, is inspired by the Live With Kelly and Ryan twosome’s real-life friendship.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the long-time pals are teaming to develop a scripted comedy called Work Wife, which has reportedly landed at ABC, the home network of their daytime talk series.
The project has been committed to by the network with a sizable amount of episodes to start, says the Hollywood Reporter.
The new series will be inspired by Ripa and Seacrest’s real-life friendship. Seacrest has lovingly called Ripa his “work wife” on camera numerous times. Ripa has been married to Mark Consuelos for over 20 years and Seacrest is in a committed relationship with Shayna Taylor.
The Hollywood Reporter explained that the show will explore the dynamics surrounding the reality of “work spouses,” who have few boundaries with one another and how their relationship impacts their relationships with everyone else.
The series will be produced by writer/actor Michael Ian Black, alongside Seacrest and his RSP Productions company and ABC. Black will also write the script, noted the Hollywood Reporter.
Ripa’s production company Milojo (the first two letters of her three children’s names: Michael, Lola, and Joaquin) will work alongside RSP to executive produce as well.
The duo's friendship dates back to 2005 when they started the first of a four-year run co-hosting the Walt Disney Christmas Parade https://t.co/57a37dlK96
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) November 1, 2018
The idea for the series came from Ripa and Seacrest’s close and easy relationship after he moved from Los Angeles to New York City to co-host Live with Ripa in May of 2017 after a year of searching for a co-host to work alongside the former daytime actress.
Prior to Seacrest, Ripa hosted Live with AMC anchor Michael Strahan, who left live in a flurry of controversy to accept his new gig on the morning news series.
Although they have only worked together on Live for a year and a half, their friendship dates back to 2005 when they began co-hosting the Walt Disney Christmas Parade together, a gig that lasted for four years.
Seacrest also hosts American Idol on ABC and is both host and executive producer of ABC’s annual program Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. He also has produced Keeping Up With the Kardashians since the program’s debut, as well as all the subsequent programming the series has spun off.
Seacrest has also produced the Jennifer Lopez series Shades of Blue and the Bravo series Shahs of Sunset.
Live with Kelly and Ryan airs weekdays on ABC.
