Kelly Ripa’s Final Diss To Michael Strahan Revealed In Unseen Footage, Plus New Co-Hosts Revealed

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Kelly Ripa gave Michael Strahan a warm goodbye during their final episode together. However, things took a different turn when the cameras stopped rolling.

An inside source told Radar Online that the drama behind the scenes was very much alive even on Strahan’s last day. Not only was Ripa ready to see Strahan leave the set, but she had a team help him get out as soon as possible.

“There was a team waiting backstage,” the source revealed. “After the show, they started packing everything of Michael’s to get it out of the building.”

Now that Strahan is officially gone, Ripa has plans to remodel everything. Her goal is to erase anything that reminds her of Strahan.

“When Kelly returns next week, it will be like he never even happened!” the insider continued. “Pictures in the greenroom and hallways will all be replaced. And new logos are ready to go into place next week, without his name!”

Some of Ripa’s actions are certainly understandable, especially considering the nature of Strahan’s departure. Even still, when Ripa lost co-host Regis Philbin, she took her time in removing their old things.

Meanwhile, Ripa’s backstage actions are not the only clues that hint at her dislike for Strahan. According to AOL, Ripa’s body language during the final episode clearly indicates that not all was well between her and Strahan.

“While she may try to be a good actor and disguise her true feelings, the body doesn’t lie, as it leaked out her animosity,” shared Dr. Lillian Glass, an expert in reading body language.

For starters, Kelly Ripa tried her best to take control of the episode. She did so by being overly courtly and even pushed in Strahan’s chair, something he typically did throughout their time together.

Ripa’s side-hug was even circumspect.

“She displays a phoniness as she puts her arm around Strahan under the guise of friendship, but her body tells the real truth as she leans her torso back,” Glass added.

Fans were quick to pick up the tension between Strahan and Ripa. During Strahan’s farewell speech, Ripa responded with short comments and even had her hand balled up throughout the episode.

Strahan’s exit from Live! With Kelly and Michael came as a huge surprise to Ripa. While Strahan gets ready for his new slot on Good Morning America, the hunt for a replacement is now underway.

People is reporting that Ripa has quite a few co-hosts scheduled to replace Strahan’s seat in the coming weeks. While producers hunt for a full-time replacement, Jimmy Kimmel took Ripa’s side this Monday.

After Kimmel, the show announced which celebrities will fill in for the next two weeks on Instagram. This includes Jussie Smollett (Empire), Cedric the Entertainer, David Muir (ABC News), and Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-O).

The following week will include the likes of Fred Savage, Seal, and Andy Cohen. Noticeably absent from the list is the rumored front-runner for the job, Anderson Cooper.

When opening up about finding the perfect co-host, Ripa admitted that it is a difficult and drawn out process.

“You want somebody working there who’s comfortable working there. That’s how you figure – it’s like a puzzle,” she stated. “It’s very much like an equation, an algorithm. Let’s see, if we put somebody here and somebody there, and, ‘Oh, this guy really likes to talk about this,’ or, ‘This guy’s really good here,’ or, ‘This lady is amazing,’ or, ‘She was great last time, let’s give her another shot.'”

Luckily, the temporary hosts give producers a little more breathing room to find Ripa’s next co-host. Hopefully, they can find a suitable replacement in time for fall.

What do you think? Was Kelly Ripa’s body language giving away her true feelings towards Michael Strahan’s exit? Let us know in the comments below.

[Image via ABC/Disney]