Regis Philbin Announces He Is Retiring Leaving Live With Regis and Kelly

Regis Philbin announced this morning that he’s retiring from the show that bears his name Live With Regis and Kelly. The stalwart host, age 79, made the announcement at the start of Tuesday morning’s show, which he has hosted for a quarter-century, which he has shared the hosting duties with Kelly Ripa. Philbin also surprised cohost Kelly Ripa with his retirement announcement today, telling her less than 15 minutes before they went live on the air. Sources close to the show say that he had held back his announcement so it wouldn’t be leaked to the press prematurely.

“This will be my last year on this show,” the 79-year-old talk show host announced Tuesday morning on their TV Talk show. “It’s been a long time, it’s been 28 years since I’ve been here. And it was the biggest thrill of my life to come back to New York, where I grew up as a kid watching TV in the early days, you know, never even dreaming that I would one day have the ability, or whatever it takes, to get in front of the camera and talk to it. There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people,” he joked.

Philbin said his exit would occur at the end of this upcoming summer or in the early fall.

“I think I can only speak for America and all of us here when I say it has been a pleasure and a privilege and a dream come true,” co-host Ripa said. “And I wish I could do something to change your mind.”

Watch his announcement Video here:

Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford launched “Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee” in 1988 and appeared together on-air through 2000. Ripa replaced Gifford the following year.

The Disney-ABC Television Group, which distributes the show, said it plans to name a new co-host to join Kelly Ripa on “Live With Regis and Kelly!,” which will continue on after Regis Philbin retires.