Regis Philbin Announces Departure Date from 'Live!'
Regis Philbin has announced the date of his retirement on “Live! with Regis and Kelly” Tuesday.
The television talk show host will end his almost 28 year run with the popular morning show on November 18.
Philbin, who had first announced his departure from “Live!” in January, joked this morning: “Last January I made the announcement that I'll be moving on. But I never gave you an exact date. So I'm pushing it back five years. Just kidding."
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Despite his fast-approaching departure, the 80-year-old told audience members not to worry – “the show goes on.”
There is no word as yet on who will replace Philbin, but he bantered with co-host Kelly Ripa, saying she “will be trying out new” men as a co-host to sit by her side.
“Alive and breathing is what we’re talking about,” Ripa shot back.
Kelly Ripa joined Philbin after co-host Kathie Lee Gifford left in 2001.
“Live! with Regis and Kelly” has earned Philbin two Emmys for outstanding daytime talk show host. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Emmys, also presented the announcer a lifetime achievement award.
“Live!” was conceived in 1983 when Philbin created “The Morning Show” for WABC in New York City. Gifford became his co-host in 1985 and the program gained national syndication in 1988.
Regis Philbin also hosted “Who wants to be a Millionaire” when the hit game show debuted in the United States in 1999.
The 80-year-old holds the Guinness World Record for “most time on camera,” accumulating over 16,500 hours throughout his entire career.
According to OK! Magazine "Transformers" Josh Duhamel, "Deal or No Deal" host Howie Mandel, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst, and “Dancing with the Stars” alum Mike Catherwood are some of the men rumored to fill the post.
Show producer Michael Gelman, contradicting reports that the search was down to three people, has said there is no short list of candidates.
