Every morning, millions of fans tune in to Live With Kelly and Ryan, drawn in by the dynamic duo of Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. But early in 2023, Kelly took an unexpected break from the show, leaving fans wondering what was going on. In January, she missed several episodes, and she didn’t shy away from explaining the reasons behind her absence. So, what really happened to the beloved TV icon? Keep reading to uncover the details.
What Happened to Kelly Ripa?
As the clock struck the start of a new year, Kelly was notably absent from a few episodes of the show. On January 5, the show's DJ, Deja Vu Parker, stepped in to fill her shoes at the news desk. Ryan and Deja carried on with the program as usual, but they didn’t mention why Kelly wasn’t there. Fans were left speculating and worrying.
Then, on Monday, January 9, Kelly made her return to Live With Kelly and Ryan. But something seemed off. Viewers quickly noticed that the usually vibrant American Housewife star appeared under the weather. “I’ve got a throat lozenge in my mouth,” she admitted in a hoarse voice right at the start of the episode. She confessed, “I probably came back too soon.”
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Kelly went on to explain that she had fallen seriously ill and had to take a few days to recuperate. The New Jersey native revealed that she tested negative for various illnesses, but her doctor believed she had picked up a "random bug." As the days went by, her raspy voice became even more noticeable to her fans.
"Yesterday after work, around 2 p.m., my voice just disappeared," she told the audience. "I had absolutely no voice at all." It was clear that Kelly was pushing herself too hard, and her body was letting her know it wasn’t ready for her return just yet.
Guest Hosts Step In
On Wednesday, January 11, Kelly was once again absent from the show. This time, Carson Kressley, the charismatic star of Queer Eye, stepped in as guest cohost. Carson, who has filled in for Kelly multiple times in the past, shared that he was out shopping when he got the call to join the show. During the episode, Ryan and Carson interviewed the charming Gerard Butler, keeping the energy lively despite Kelly’s absence.
The following day, on Thursday, January 12, Deja Vu Parker returned to the guest cohost role. Meanwhile, Kelly took to Instagram to update her fans, sharing a candid photo of herself with her hand over her face. “Day six of nothing wrong with me,” she captioned the image, expressing her frustration with the mysterious nature of her illness.
A History of Guest Hosts
Over the years, Live With Kelly and Ryan has welcomed a variety of guest cohosts, including Kelly’s husband, Mark Consuelos. The Riverdale star has stepped in for Ryan several times since the American Idol host officially joined the show in 2017. While it wasn’t immediately clear who else might fill in for Kelly or when she’d return, fans were sending her plenty of well wishes for a speedy recovery.
