Former Live! with Regis and Kelly co-hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa kicked off their professional relationship in 2001 when Ripa took over Kathie Lee Gifford's long-held position. Although there were plenty of viable options, Ripa, who had starred on ABC's All My Children in the '90s, landed the gig after Philbin invited her to the show for a tryout.

He outlined that process in his autobiography, How I Got This Way, explaining that Ripa came to mind because she had been a guest on the show and he remembered her exuding, quote, "a natural, quick-witted, unaffected, confident, fun-loving kind of sparkle." Sure enough, Ripa was a hit during the audition process, with Philbin calling her "the right choice and really the only choice."

Alas, as many Hollywood pairings tend to go, this dynamic reportedly disintegrated. Things took a turn after Philbin, then 80, exited the show in 2011, leaving Ripa in need of a new co-host. Nearly a decade later, Ripa partnered with media mogul Ryan Seacrest to co-host the show, but it sounds like she never fully mended fences with the man who helped kick-start her talk show career.

What could Regis have possibly done to upset Kelly so much? Philbin shed some light on the gossip in February 2017, when he appeared on Larry King Now and admitted that he and Ripa hadn't really kept in touch.

Although this could be nothing more than speculation, radio host Howard Stern added fuel to the fire in October 2019, when he claimed Ripa and Philbin were feuding, saying,

"Well, Kelly I don’t think likes Regis. That’s the thing. They have a war. [...] They don't talk or anything as far as I know. I thought it was an issue where Kelly felt that she should've been told by Regis that he was leaving the show."

That theory took an even more complicated turn when Stern's co-host, Robin Quivers, alleged that Philbin didn't leave, quote, "on his own accord." Fellow talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who was appearing on Stern's show, also said that he thought Philbin didn't have much choice in the matter.

So if Philbin was pushed out, why would Ripa supposedly harbor bad feelings? It could have something to do with the metaphorical distance Philbin allegedly put between himself and Ripa on set. Ripa dished to the New York Times in December 2017,

"Regis had a mandate: Absolutely no talking off-camera. He had almost a superstition about it. You save it for the show. I'd be like, 'Good morning,' and he'd say, 'Save it for the air!'"

Although we can understand Philbin's stance on off-camera chatter from a professional standpoint, that philosophy might have made things unnecessarily awkward between the two. If they never talked off camera while co-starring on a talk show, why would they keep in touch after Philbin left?

Despite all this talk of sour grapes, there's no denying these two had a successful 10-year run together on Live! with Regis and Kelly. Shortly after Philbin's death on July 24, 2020, Ripa took to Instagram to release a statement on behalf of herself and Ryan Seacrest, her co-host on Live with Kelly and Ryan.

"We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place."

Ripa had discussed Philbin's influence on her life many times before, telling People,

"Regis and Kathie Lee were my life. When I came to New York and moved into my little dressing room at All My Children, they were my best friends."

In another interview with The Columbus Dispatch in 2011, Ripa gushed about Philbin's talents, saying,

"I think he is the world's greatest storyteller. That's his gift." Watch the video to learn The Real Reason Regis Philbin And Kelly Ripa Don't Speak Anymore!

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