Jimmy Kimmel will be the first post-Michael Strahan guest co-host of “Live With Kelly Ripa,” ABC announced Tuesday.
The late-night host will join Ripa on May 16, just three days after Strahan departs the ABC morning show to join “Good Morning America” full time.
Kimmel currently hosts the late-night series “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on ABC, but will join the morning team at “Live” as the show rotates the second chair until a permanent replacement is named.
Ripa was said to be upset that she was kept out of the loop on ABC’s plan to switch Strahan to “Good Morning America.” That change was originally set to occur in September, but it was bumped up to May.
Ripa was so upset upon learning the news of Strahan’s departure so abruptly that she did not appear on “Live” for four days, but returned last Tuesday.
“Our long national nightmare is over,” Ripa joked after receiving a standing ovation from the studio audience. “I’m going to be completely honest, I’m fairly certain that there are trained professional snipers with tranquilizer darts in case I drift too far off message. I first want to honestly, sincerely thank you for welcoming me back to the show.”
In the meantime, Ripa has gotten apologies from Strahan and ABC boss Ben Sherwood, among others, for how the “GMA” affair was handled and for not telling her sooner.
Various guests hosts are expected to fill in for Strahan until ABC decides on a permanent co-host.
Back when Regis Philbin retired as Ripa’s co-host in 2011, it took 10 months before the network settled on Strahan as a permanent replacement. Many of the rotating guest hosts will essentially be trying out for the gig.