Ryan Seacrest celebrated his last day as co-host of Live with Kelly and Ryan on Friday in an episode filled with memories from his six years on the show.
Kelly Ripa delivered a tear-jerking speech in which she told Seacrest what he means to her.
“This has without question been the fastest six years of my life,” Ripa said. “Although you and I have been friends for decades and decades, I feel like I have gained through this process a younger brother/older son. That’s how I feel about you. It’s the weirdest feeling.”
Ripa gushed about Seacrest’s “goodness, kind[ness], charm, brilliance, authenticity and generosity” in her speech, getting teary-eyed but getting a few laughs in.
“We reserve the right as a company to troll you on all social media platforms and we will all keep our same mailing addresses in case there is ever a wedding invitation, just in case,” she joked.
Kelly closed her comments saying, “We will only say see you soon. I love you.”
Ryan delivered a farewell speech of his own, opening up about what a “lucky man” he is, and what Ripa and the show have meant to him.
Seacrest said in part, “I’ve spent my entire career talking — talking on the radio, talking on television … but today it’s hard to put into words how deeply I’ve appreciated being here and being with you, being invited into your homes every day to try and deliver a smile or a laugh or two.”
Ryan joked he will “relish those memories and relive those memories forever.”
Seacrest announced in February that he was leaving Live to focus on hosting American Idol. He passed the baton — or, actually, the coffee mug — to Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos, at the close of Friday’s show.
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