Kelly Ripa Co-Host Search: ABC Boss Admits Michael Strahan Mistake, Final September Guest Hosts Revealed

A new Kelly Ripa co-host continues to elude the grasp of TV’s morning queen. Is Ripa ready to wrap up the months-long quest for her permanent Live with Kelly co-host? As Ripa’s final Live guest co-hosts for the month of September are revealed, recent news from inside the corporate coven of Live with Kelly‘s broadcaster, ABC television network, has the company’s boss fessing up to the snafu of former co-host Michael Strahan’s Live exit.

Kelly Ripa’s ongoing search for a new Live co-host has seen the 45-year-old Ripa share the Live with Kelly stage with actors such as Neil Patrick Harris and Fred Savage, TV newsmen like Anderson Cooper and David Muir, and guest co-host wild cards in basketball player Dwyane Wade and comedian Keegan-Michael Key. Earlier this month, Ripa even announced an open-to-the-public co-hosting contest: one lucky fan will get the opportunity of a lifetime in co-hosting a Live with Kelly broadcast beside the former All My Children actress.

Kelly Ripa’s co-host of yore, Michael Strahan, and his uncouth decision to blindside Kelly with the news of his Live departure last spring were briefly discussed in a recent Hollywood Reporter interview with Disney/ABC television’s president, Ben Sherwood. Admitting he’s learned that “more communication is better” in such high profile entertainment dealings, Mr. Sherwood says they “made some mistakes” in regard to Strahan’s exit.

“We made some mistakes, we fixed them quickly and we moved on. I was on the set of Live recently: The show is in great shape, Kelly is in a great place, the hunt for a new co-host is underway, the excitement is building, and I believe the future of that show is bright.”

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Michael Strahan’s switch from the formerly-titled Live with Kelly and Michael to ABC’s Good Morning America caused a great deal of awkwardness between Ripa and the former football player. Reportedly, Kelly found out about Michael’s decision to leave on the same day that the news went public.

Live fans are hoping the Kelly Ripa co-host search ends with a suitable partner beside Ripa on her longtime morning show. As evidenced by past coverage from the Inquisitr, aforementioned actor Fred Savage once seemed the lead co-host contender and a fan favorite choice for the coveted Ripa co-host spot. Now, as Kelly’s final September guest hosts are made known, it seems Savage may be up against some other leading men.

As seen in the below official Live tweet, frequent Live with Kelly guest co-hosts Josh Groban and Jerry O’Connell will finish off the month with Kelly Ripa for the week of Sept. 26. Are these extended guest host stretches for the beloved classical singer and the husband of Rebecca Romijn intended as Ripa’s final co-host trial runs for each entertainer? Is Ripa ready to choose either Groban or O’Connell as her permanent Live with Kelly co-host?

Kelly's guest cohosts week of Sept 26! @joshgroban @MrJerryOC #LiveKelly #LiveKellyCohost pic.twitter.com/opp7nC9YBV

— LIVEKellyRyan (@LiveKellyRyan) September 14, 2016

Are the forenamed stars prepared to be Kelly Ripa’s co-host? Do you think either Groban or O’Connell have the gusto to co-host alongside Ripa? Are you still holding out hope for Fred Savage as Ripa’s co-host? What do you make of ABC president Sherwood’s Michael Strahan co-host talk? Let us know who you think should be the new Live co-host partner of Kelly Ripa in the comments section at the bottom of this page.

Watch an entertaining video from a recent Live with Kelly episode with Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial artist Paige VanZant below. In the clip, VanZant shows Kelly Ripa and recent Live guest co-host Neil Patrick Harris some of her famous MMA moves.

[Featured Image by Mark Davis/Getty Images]