Michael Strahan is leaving earlier than expected. Deadline reports the Live with Kelly and Michael co-host will be departing in May, months before he starts his new full-time gig on Good Morning America.
Last week, it was announced Strahan would be leaving Live to host full-time on the other ABC morning show.
His co-host, Kelly Ripa, did not take the news well. She took all of last week off and returned this morning after ABC reportedly assured her Live was not being cancelled.
Strahan was originally expected to leave the show in September. Instead, he will leave on May 13th, giving the network time to find Ripa a new co-host before her contract ends in 2017.
From a Live with Kelly and Michael spokesperson:
After meeting with the producers of both Live and Good Morning America, and after speaking with Kelly and Michael, we have decided on a plan that best advantages both shows for the future. To that end, Michael’s last day on Live will be on Friday, May 13, which not only gives the show the chance to have a nice send-off for him during the May book, but to also immediately begin the on-air search for a new co-host. This plan also allows GMA to start integrating Michael into the show more often this summer before his full-time start in September.”
What do you think? Do you watch Live with Kelly and Michael? Who do you think would make a good new co-host?
I think the least Michael could have done would have been to privately let Kelly know so that she wouldn’t have been blindsided – they have worked together for 4 years and she campaigned for him..I think he owed her that. ABC should have defineitly told Kelly and Gelman first..very tacky.
In a regular job, another person leaving his job without telling his co-workers would not be a big deal (unless that person has a a major position). Well, for “Live,” it is a BIG deal — simply because Michael is a co-host of a TV show with his name on the title and a show that focuses on their chemistry. You would think Kelly and producer Gelman would be the 1st to be told of the move. There must be reasons why they were not told ahead of the announcement (at least a couple of days before). Who knows? Personally,… Read more »