After 28 years of hosting Live! With Regis and Kelly, Regis Philbin will sign off on Friday, Nov. 18. The long-time host announced his official end date on the show Tuesday.
“Friday, Nov. 18 is my last day,” Philbin said. “But don’t worry, the show goes on.”
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Philbin announced that he would be leaving the show after 28 years as the host back in January. He first announced that he would retire at the end of summer, but later pushed back the date to November in order to give WABC time to plan a goodbye special.
“Kelly will be trying out new co-hosts, just like we did 11 years ago, when we found her,” said Regis of his current co-host Kelly Ripa. Ripa replaced Kathie Lee Gifford as co-host in 2001.
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Philbin joked that Ripa would be looking for a younger, handsome male host. Ripa shot back that she was simply looking for someone “alive and breathing.” While producers look for a new co-host, a variety of guest co-hosts will step in to the show.
Philbin, who celebrated his 80th birthday in August, has served as the host of a variety of programs, including Who Wants to Be a Millionare, America’s Got Talent, The Neighbors and Million Dollar Password. However, his time on Live!, and formerly Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee, has cemented him as a household name and will likely leave a void in the hearts of housewives, retirees and stay-at-home moms who have welcomed him into their living rooms for years.
