Ryan Seacrest cries on Live With Kelly and Ryan as Mark Consuelos honors him as his 'brother' amid exit

Ryan Seacrest teared up amid his impending exit from Live With Kelly and Ryan during an emotional tribute from his successor.

Longtime host Kelly Ripa welcomed her real husband, Mark Consuelos, to chat with her work husband during Friday's broadcast, as the former prepares to take over for Seacrest when the show rebrands as Live With Kelly and Mark.

ABC Ryan Seacrest cries as Mark Consuelos honors him after his 'Live With Kelly and Ryan' exit announcement.

"I do want to say, you're a brother to me, you're a family member to me. I've become so close with both of you," Seacrest told Consuelos, who married Ripa in 1996 after they met as costars on the set of All My Children a year before. "The three of us sat — before I moved out here — and had real conversations about doing this for a few years. It ended up being longer than I thought, and I couldn't be happier to see you come in and be next to your wife, who we both know is the most amazing human being on the planet."

Consuelos echoed the sentiment and honored Seacrest, celebrating him for not only joining his wife's professional circle, but also integrating with their family.

ABC Ryan Seacrest gets emotional during a chat with Mark Consuelos on 'Live With Kelly and Ryan.'

"I couldn't think of a better person to sit next to my wife for the past six years," Consuelos said as Ripa noted that Seacrest was about to cry. "You're a true friend. You're a brother. You're generous to my wife, to my whole family. I got to meet your family. I love your parents, your niece, your sister, your brother-in-law."

Consuelos continued, "That chair you're sitting in, it's an iconic seat. It's a great honor for me to sit there. It's an iconic show, and I think it's going to be a blast. Thank you."

Seacrest announced his departure from the morning show Thursday, after six years of sitting next to Ripa. He confirmed that he'll guest-host on select occasions and that he'll continue his work as the host of American Idol.

"Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career," Seacrest said in a statement announcing his exit from Live. "She has been an amazing partner, friend, and confidant, and although we will always be a part of each other's lives, I will miss our mornings together. I also want to thank Michael Gelman and the entire staff and crew — we've made memories to last a lifetime, met some of the most incredible people, and had the warmest welcome into the homes of so many viewers across America. It's been a memorable ride, and now I'm excited to pass the baton to Kelly's 'real' husband, Mark."

Live With Kelly and Ryan airs weekdays at 9 a.m. ET on ABC.

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