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Kelly Ripa paid tribute to her co-host, Regis Philbin after his death at age 88, calling him “the ultimate class act.”
She released a joint statement with Ryan Seacrest, which said, “We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place.”
Philbin died Friday, July 24, 2020. Philbin had been suffering from heart disease, although he was in relatively good health since his retirement, TMZ reported.
Here’s what you need to know:
Kelly Ripa Said Regis Philbin Was Her Mentor, & She Was Grateful for the Influence He Had on Her Life
Kelly Ripa released a joint statement with Ryan Seacrest on Saturday, describing Regis Philbin as “the ultimate class act” and a mentor to both Kelly and Ryan.
The statement said, “We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place.”
Kelly Ripa took the place of Kathie Lee Gifford on ABC’s daytime show in 2001, making the show “Live! With Regis and Kelly.” Kathie Lee Gifford and Regis Philbin hosted the show together for 15 years. Gifford also paid respects to her longtime co-host and friend, sharing scripture about eternal life and perseverance. Read more about their relationship here.
“Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. I Timothy 6:12,” Gifford wrote on Twitter early Saturday morning. “LORD, give us the strength we need to persevere on our journey. Hold us up by Your righteous right hand and deliver us from despair.🙏🏻”
Kelly Ripa Had Fears About Hosting ‘Live!’ Without Regis By Her Side When He Left in 2011
Kelly Ripa and Regis Philbin were side by side on “Live! With Regis and Kelly” for nearly a decade when he left the show in 2011. She would later go on to appear with Ryan Seacrest in the ABC show, now “Live! With Kelly and Ryan.” Ripa shared kind words for her co-host during Philbin’s final broadcast in 2011.
“Your light is what shined around all of us and made us look so bright for so long,” she said. “As you go forward, I’m thinking about the people at home who are suffering from cancer, and a nursing mother who’s been up all night feeding her baby, and the little boy who’s taking a math test and he’s afraid to go to school so he stays home and watches you. And your story makes [them] feel better.”
In a 2017 interview with PEOPLE, she confessed she had fears when Regis left, that she would be unable to host the show without him.
“I just remember when Regis left it was so scary,” she said. “Because we – meaning me – had never done this before. Regis had done it many times, and he was so good at it. It makes you terrified. Like can I do this without Regis being here?”
READ NEXT: Kathie Lee Gifford & Regis Philbin’s Relationship Over the Years
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