Kelly Ripa continues to have nothing but kind words for her Live With Kelly and Ryan cohost Ryan Seacrest in the wake of his recent sexual misconduct scandal.
The TV host, 47, and her husband, Riverdale star Mark Consuelos, spoke with the American Idol host, 43, on the red carpet at the 2018 Oscars on Sunday, March 4.
“You look amazing,” Ripa told Seacrest during E! News’ coverage. “We were watching you upstairs in the hotel. You’re doing a great job.”
The radio personality was first accused of misconduct in November by an anonymous former E! stylist. He denied the allegations at the time, and the network later said its investigation found “no sufficient evidence to substantiate” the claims. The stylist, Suzie Hardy, went public on February 26, claiming in an interview with Variety that Seacrest once shoved her head into his crotch and hugged her in his underwear, among other alleged incidents.
Seacrest responded in a statement to Us Weekly, which said in part, “I don’t want to accuse anyone of not telling the truth but in this case, I have no choice but to again deny the claims against me, remind people that I was recused of any wrongdoing, and put the matter to rest.”
Ripa vocalized her support for her cohost on air on Thursday, March 1. “I just want you to know you are a privilege to work with, and I adore you, and I am speaking on behalf of all of us here,” she said. “I know what an easy, professional, great person you are and I feel very, very lucky to work with you each and every day.”
After E! confirmed that Seacrest would still cover Sunday’s red carpet despite the scandal, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke told Variety, “They really shouldn’t send him [to the Oscars]. We shouldn’t have to make those choices of, ‘Do we or don’t we?’”
The 2018 Oscars air on ABC on Sunday, March 4, at 8 p.m. ET.
