UPDATE 6:55 p.m. ET:
After being a no-show Wednesday Kelly Ripa will sit out on co-hosting duties for the rest of the week and on Monday reportsDeadline. According to a spokesperson for Live with Kelly and Michael, Deadlinereports, Ripa had already scheduled Friday and Monday as vacation days. But really, who's going to believe the perfect timing of that?
Thursday's and Friday's episodes of Live with Kelly and Michael will see Erin Andrews, of ESPN and Dancing With the Stars fame, fill in. Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell will co-host Live on Monday, according toDeadline.
On Wednesday's awkward episode Michael Strahan reportedly addressed Ripa's absence during a commercial break at the taping. A source at the taping toldEntertainment Tonight, "Michael said during the break that it was 'a hard day' for everyone."
Looks like it's going to be a hard couple of days, Michael.
See original story below.
Kelly Ripa is apparently not a big fan of Michael Strahan's recent come-up, as the 15-year daytime TV veteran decided to be a no-show for Wednesday's Live! With Kelly and Michael. As previously reported, Strahan announced on Tuesday that he would be leaving Live to become a full-time member of the Good Morning America family. Ripa, according to TMZ, was completely blindsided by Strahan's announcement and has no plans for a replacement.
Sources tellTMZ that Ripa's no-show on Wednesday is likely the "first in a string of absences," adding additional weight behind that blindsided theory. In fact, these same sources claim that Ripa may indeed skip out on her Live duties "for the foreseeable future" in protest. On Wednesday, Strahan simply said Ripa was "out" for the day and thanked Saturday Night Live star Ana Gasteyer for stepping up and filling the spot.
Though the Live team apparently has no replacement plans in place, rumors have already started stacking up regarding the network's plans for Ripa's new TV partner. Both Neil Patrick Harris and Anderson Cooper, a close friend of Ripa's, are reportedly in the running. "It's likely Kelly will bring up Anderson's name as a replacement," a source tellsEntertainment Tonight.
"Kelly has been an unbelievable partner, and I am so thankful to her and the entire team," Strahan told the New York Daily News in a statement on Tuesday. "I am extremely grateful for the amazing support I've received from all of the fans." Strahan will officially kick off his new Good Morning America gig in September.
