Ryan Seacrest's Girlfriend Aubrey Paige Makes Rare Appearance on 'Live' for His Final Show as Co-Host
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"We will all keep our same mailing addresses in case there is ever a wedding invitation," Kelly Ripa told the American Idol emcee during the show
Seacrest, out!
Live with Kelly and Ryan officially said farewell to Ryan Seacrest on Friday, with the radio personality and broadcaster joining Kelly Ripa for his last day as co-host after six seasons on the ABC syndicated daytime show.
It was an emotional episode, with both Seacrest, 48, and Ripa, 52, tearing up as they reminisced about their time together. But it was also a celebratory hour Seacrest and his loved ones, including girlfriend Aubrey Paige in a rare appearance.
"We will all keep our same mailing addresses in case there is ever a wedding invitation," Ripa told Seacrest of his romance with Paige, 26, whom he has been dating since 2021. "Just in case!"
Seacrest's parents and sister supporting him from the audience and later, on stage for a toast. Seacrest's niece Flora, 4, even appeared via video to send well wishes to her Uncle Ry Ry, telling him: "I'm so proud of you."
Related:Ryan Seacrest Wishes 'Live' Replacement Mark Consuelos Well: 'Feel Free to Remodel My Dressing Room!'
The morning marked the end of the Live with Kelly and Ryan era for the long-running talk show. On Monday, the show will be renamed Live with Kelly and Mark as Seacrest's successor, Ripa's husband Mark Consuelos, makes his official full-time debut.
Consuelos was also on hand to send off Seacrest, surprising his friend with a cake shaped like a can of sardines. "You're such a pro, you make it look easy and we all know it's not," Consuelos, 52, told Seacrest before they engaged in a ceremonial passing of the mug. "I'll never forget your kind words and assurance. I love you."
But Ripa and Seacrest's bond was the real highlight of the hour, the fun they had together on display throughout segments airing highlights of Seacrest's time on the show.
"This has without question been the fastest six years of my life," Ripa said at the end of the episode. "And although you and I have been friends for decades and decades, I feel like I gained through this process a younger brother–slash–oldest son — which is the weirdest feeling. And i'm so grateful that our success together on this show has led to us developing and even closer, yet also codependent, relationship."
"For many years, Ryan's ability to be the person featuring the talents of other people has been part of his job. But on our show, I feel like you got to show off your immeasurable talents to the world," she continued. "I always jokingly referred to you an onion with all of these layers. but really, what you are is a blooming onion; you are layers upon layers of goodness, of kind, of charm ... your generosity is unmatched."
She added, "From the bottom of my heart, from the bottom of all our hearts, we just want to thank you for being wonderful, for being an original, authentic addition to this show. You are forever our family. We will never say goodbye to you. We will only say, 'See you soon.'"
Ripa's words appeared to strike a nerve with Seacrest, who held back tears in his final goodbye.
"I am a very lucky man," he said. "I want you all to know, it's not lost on me how fortunate I am. ... I've spent my entire career talking. Talking on the radio, talking on television. Words are my bread and butter, but today it's hard to put into words how deeply I've appreciated being here and being with you."
He went on to express his gratitude to viewers, to Disney/ABC and to the Live staff — including WABC-TV's vice president of programming Art Moore and longstanding executive producer Michael Gelman. "This is a special place. There's no place like this," he said, reminiscing about "the people, the places, the stunts, the games, the interviews, the food" and even "the imperfections" shared on the show day in and day out.
Seacrest then thanked Ripa, sharing his heartfelt feelings for his co-host and friend. "I so appreciate your leadership, love, and I will miss you... at least for the weekend," he teased.
"You took this L.A. stranger and made me part of your family and welcomed me into this well-oiled machine that you have led for so many years," he said.
Other highlights in the episode included an appearance by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and a video farewell from Michael Bublé.
News of Seacrest's departure first dropped in February, when he announced on Live he would be leaving the series with plans to move back to the West Coast ahead of American Idol's live shows in Los Angeles.
Leaving was a "tough, tough" decision, Seacrest noted on the show, and a "bittersweet" one.
As he did on his farewell show on Friday, Seacrest used his exit announcement to honor his bond with Ripa. "Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career," he said in a statement. "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," he added. "It's been a memorable ride and now I'm excited to pass the baton to Kelly's 'real' husband, Mark."
Ripa reciprocated the deep affection, saying in a statement: "I'm so grateful to have spent the last six years beside my dear friend of too many decades to count and will miss starting my days with Ryan. Ryan's energy, passion and love for entertainment is one-of-a-kind."
"I can't thank you enough on all of our behalf," she told Seacrest on the show in February. "There is nobody else like you. There is nobody who can really do what you do. I know you in real life as well as TV life. I say this about very few people: what you see is what you get. This is not an act, this is a good man. I am so endlessly impressed by you."
Since then, the two have been cherishing their final few months on the show, and Ripa has since told PEOPLE that it'll be a smooth transition.
"Nothing will really change, just the different name on the mug," said Ripa, noting that Seacrest and Consuelos are "like brothers" and that Seacrest. is family "Ryan is like my — I always say is like my brother, but he's also like my oldest child. So you know, it's gonna be seamless."
Both Ripa and Seacrest have noted that he will return to the show from time to time to fill in.
As for Ripa and Consuelos's three grown children — Michael, 25, Lola, 21, and Joaquin, 20 — she told PEOPLE it's "less likely" that they'll regularly appear on the show. "Once in a while, they'll come on the show as a favor to mom," she said, "but if they feel like we're forcing them on, I'm certain [they] will run away from that idea."
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