It’s Live With Kelly … and Jimmy! Kelly Ripa’s first guest host on Live after Michael Strahan’s exit will be late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, the show announced on Tuesday, May 3.
“Monday, May 16th, @jimmykimmel will be Kelly’s first guest co-host!,” the official Live With Kelly and Michael Twitter account wrote on Tuesday afternoon, accompanied by a smiley shot of the 48-year-old funnyman.
Kimmel will join Ripa, 45, three days after Strahan cohosts his last Live show on Friday, May 13. As Us Weekly previously reported, the NFL player-turned-TV personality’s remaining time on the talk show was meant to run until September — just before his full-time gig with Good Morning America begins — but was cut short amid behind-the-scenes tension.
Monday, May 16th, @jimmykimmel will be Kelly’s first guest co-host! pic.twitter.com/yZtNhstsB0
— LIVEKellyRyan (@LiveKellyRyan) May 3, 2016
As previously reported, Ripa felt “blindsided” by Strahan’s departure announcement after he let her know just an hour before the news went public.
Following a 20th anniversary vacation with her husband, Mark Consuelos, a refreshed Ripa returned to work and addressed the drama alongside Strahan at the top of the Tuesday, April 23, episode of Live.
“What transpired, though, over the course of a few days has been extraordinary in the sense that it started a much greater conversation about communication and consideration and, most importantly, respect in the workplace,” the bubbly blonde told the audience.
For his part, Strahan is still looking forward to his final days on the daytime program.
“Every week is great,” Strahan, 44, told Entertainment Tonight on the Met Gala red carpet in New York City on Monday, May 2. “Every day is great for me. I’m on the other side of the dirt.”
“I’m looking forward to [moving to GMA full-time],” the former New York Giants defensive added to ET. “But I’m still looking forward to going to work for Live … I love being there. I still love it. It’s a great show, great people, and I’m very fortunate to be a part of it.”
