His stamp of approval. Ryan Seacrest reacted to Mark Consuelos‘ first week as Kelly Ripa‘s cohost on Live With Kelly and Mark.
“I’ve been watching Kelly and Mark and they’re doing great,” Seacrest, 48, told E! News on Monday, April 24. “I hope to see them and hang out soon in the wild, as Kelly would say.”
The American Idol host said he has been enjoying his break after hosting alongside Ripa, 52, for the past six years. “It’s nice to not have to get on an airplane in 20 minutes to get back,” he shared. “I miss Kelly, I love her so much.”
Earlier this month, Seacrest said goodbye to the ABC series with an emotional final episode.
“I want you all to know, it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am. Fortunate to have had this seat next to you, Kel, for six years. You’re incompatible. There’s no one like you,” he said during the April 14 episode. “I’ve spent my entire career talking … but today, it’s hard to put into words how deeply I’ve appreciated being here and being with you, being invited into your homes every day to try to deliver a smile or a laugh or two. I’m honored to be a part of this family.”
Ripa, for her part, gushed over getting to spend so much time with Seacrest over the years, adding, “This has, without question, been the fastest six years of my life. And although you and I have been friends for decades and decades, I feel like I’ve gained through this process a younger brother. I am so grateful that our success together on this show has led to us developing an even closer — yet codependent — relationship.”
The Georgia native originally announced in February his plans to step down from Live With Kelly and Ryan. “Kelly and I have some news here. This is something that she and I have been talking about for a long time and it was a tough, tough decision,” Seacrest explained. “Last year, we spoke and I made the decision to make this my last season as cohost with Kelly here on Live With Kelly and Ryan, which is bittersweet.”
The former soap actress, who has been hosting Live since 2001, confirmed that her husband, 52, would be joining as a permanent host. At the time, Ripa and Consuelos discussed their decision to mix business with pleasure after previously working together on multiple projects.
“We figured that since we started our careers together, we might as well finish them together,” the couple, who starred on All My Children, Hope and Faith and Riverdale together, exclusively told Us Weekly in February. “We figured the idea ‘what could possibly go wrong?’ is something we’d definitely like to explore. Now, we have the chance.”
After hosting his first episode, the former Alpha House star opened up about adjusting to his new job.
“This show today truly felt like home. I always feel at home with Kelly but [working] together this morning just felt so right,” Consuelos, who shares kids Michael, 25, Lola, 21, and Joaquin, 19, with his wife, told Us earlier this month. “Kelly and I have always [felt] the most [at] ease when we’re together and I feel so lucky we get to do that daily.”
The New Jersey native, meanwhile, applauded Consuelos for his hard work. “He’s a natural and I have a good feeling this is going to be great for a while,” she added. “I look forward to a long TV partnership with him.”
