Michael Strahan Leaving ‘Live!’ Early Because Of Kelly Ripa’s ‘Mind Games’ [Report]

Michael Strahan is allegedly ready to say goodbye to Live! with Kelly and Michael months before he was originally scheduled to because he’s tired of Kelly Ripa’s “mind games.”

According to a new report by Hollywood Life, the drama that surrounded Strahan’s surprise announcement that he was leaving the talk show has left things very “uncomfortable” between himself and Ripa and is giving the former football player a permanent headache.

“Mike’s not a fake person. There was no way he was about to sit up there, next to Kelly, uncomfortable, knowing there’s tension between them,” a source close to Strahan claimed, which follows recent reports that Michael could be leaving the morning show as early as next month.

“The mind games and awkward conversations between him and Kelly remind him of playing football — it hurts and he’s got a huge headache,” the insider continued, noting that although Michael is “grateful” to his co-workers, including Kelly Ripa, his last day can’t come soon enough.

The source’s claims that Strahan is ready to say goodbye to Live! with Kelly and Michael as soon as possible follows a new report by E! News that alleged Kelly’s co-host could be departing the show months earlier than originally planned.

While Strahan announced on April 19 that his full-time gig on Good Morning America is not scheduled to begin until September, an insider close to production recently told E! News that Michael’s last day with Kelly could be as early as May 13.

According to a spokesperson for ABC, Michael Strahan recently sat down with producers of both Good Morning America and Live! with Kelly and Michael to work out a deal that would allow Ripa and the crew to begin a televised search for Michael’s replacement in May.

“After meeting with the producers of both [Live! with Kelly and Michael] and Good Morning America, and after speaking with Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan, we have decided on a plan that best advantages both shows for the future,” a spokesperson revealed to E! News on April 26.

“To that end, Michael’s last day will be on Friday, May 13, which not only gives the show the chance to have a nice send-off for him during the May book, but to also immediately begin the on-air search for a new co-host,” the ABC spokesperson continued.

E! News also alleged that ABC’s plan is to have Michael continue to appear on Good Morning America on a more intermittent basis over the summer before he eventually joins the morning series’ panel full-time in September.

While the ABC spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied recent reports that Strahan’s early departure from the show was due to bad blood with Kelly Ripa, Scandal actress Bellamy Young confirmed that there was definitely “tension” backstage at the morning show earlier this week.

Following her appearance on the morning talk-show, Young admitted during an interview with Jenny McCarthy on her Dirty Sexy Funny Sirius XM radio show that things “could have gone either way” when Ripa returned on April 26 following a brief hiatus after Michael’s big news broke.

“Backstage there was some tension because it could have gone any way,” Bellamy admitted to McCarthy of her stint on Live! with Kelly and Michael, “but once it got underway it was beautiful.”

“Kelly gave a monologue, she got to clear the air and then they went on. They’re professional people,” Bellamy added, noting that Ripa and Strahan were both “tense” before heading out for the show.

What do you think of reports that Michael Strahan could be leaving Live! with Kelly and Michael as early as next month? Do you think Kelly Ripa is really causing tension on the set?

[Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images]