Who said a Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest reunion would be uncomfortable?!
Ryan and Kelly hosted Live on ABC together for six years between 2017 and 2023. Ryan’s exit, though not as shocking as past departures, never the less was a blow for the show.
That’s why fans were so thrilled to see the pair together again this week – and why Kelly’s jab at Ryan was fairly well received.
Kelly Ripa & Ryan Seacrest Reunite Live At D23 For Legends Ceremony
Over the weekend, Kelly was honored at the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony alongside other talents, like Jamie Lee Curtis and Miley Cyrus.
Each recipient was welcomed onstage by a friend or performance highlight the work they’ve done for the House of Mouse. In Kelly’s case, it was none other than her former Live co-star Ryan Seacrest who presented her with the iconic award.
Now, Ryan actually hosted the entire affair, so taking time out to show some love to Kelly wasn’t really that big of a stretch; unless you take into account that he’s also in the middle of hosting American Idol‘s next season AND his first season of Wheel of Fortune.
Perhaps that’s why Kelly felt it was the right place and time to jab at Ryan a bit. A joke among friends, if you will!
“Ryan, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Kelly said as she took to the stage to receive her award after his kind words. Then, she added, “ I’m just glad you finally found something else to host.”
Cue laughter from the audience. Because, well, c’mon!
Ryan and Kelly Ended On Good Terms
Unlike someone else who exited Live with a lot of drama (cough Michael Strahan cough), when Ryan left the daytime talk show, there was nothing but love from Kelly.
For one thing, the changed paved the way for her husband Mark Consuelos to join her at the desk full time. For another, it seemed clear from the start that the arrangement wasn’t meant to continue long term.
“I was looking back at the six years and remembering when initially it was just going to be three,” Ryan had told Variety about his exit at the time.
“And then with each year that went by, I continued to extend my contract because I love sitting next to my partner and having this unique and casual connection to the people that watch.”
He added that part of the appeal of being on the show was how it proved to be an escape for may viewers.
“We were relief from a lot of the heavy news, from the division in the country, and we are mindful of that when we’re on the air,” he explained.
“We’re mindful of the level of fun the show should be, and counterprogramming to anything that is political. And frankly, I’m more comfortable with that. We felt like this is a place where people can enjoy, laugh, smile, forget and escape the heavier things.”
Kelly Ripa’s Disney Legends Speech: This Is ‘Surreal’
The Disney Legends Award honors artists and visionaries throughout The Walt Disney Company’s history “who have pushed the envelope of creativity, challenged conventional wisdom, and broken the restraints of the status quo in search of new possibilities and excellence”.
Kelly has, almost quite literally, worked for Disney her entire career. For 34 years, she has appeared on ABC programming, from Live to All My Children to new programs like Generation Gap.
She called her years with the company “great good fortune” in her Disney Legends speech.
“This feels surreal for me,” she added. “I owe everything to Disney. Not only my career, but my entire immediate family,” giving props to her “smoking hot husband” who she met on the set of the ABC soap 30 years previously.
It’s been quite a ride! How much longer it will last, that’s the better question!
