Kathie Lee Gifford opens up about second acts and dating again: “Don’t live with regrets. It’s never too late.”

Emmy award-winning former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford looks back on her 45-year career. She recalls personal stories from her days with Regis Philbin, Craig Ferguson and even stars like Audrey Hepburn and Paul Newman, who she says she 'admires the most' because of their passion for philanthropy. Now a resident of Nashville, Tenn. Gifford says, "I'm watered here." Watch the video above for a sneak peek at what's next in her life, from dating to new films and books.

Video Transcript

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: I put some sneakers on and a red dress, and I ran down the block to burst into his set on the very first day, and said, tada! And he looked at me, he goes, is this the way it's going to be? Is this what I can expect? Is this it? We were off to the races.

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BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I read your book. First of all, I have to say, I love these little bite sized stories. First thing that jumped out to me is, you've orbited around some of the most interesting people in our culture from Bill Cosby, to the Kennedys, to Kris Jenner.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: My two favorite people in all the years I've been interviewing other people were actually people that I admired already when I met them for their body of work. Audrey Hepburn and Paul Newman, I came to admire them the most for how they used their celebrity to make the world a better place.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: You talk about your career, and those early days in Hollywood sounded so tough. What did that time period teach you?

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: What I learned is that everything that happens to you is a building block. I learned that even if I did not get the job, I learned something from trying to get the job. And if I could apply that to the next job, it made the chance of my getting that job a little bit better.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: You write in the book about Regis. We know you guys had an undeniable chemistry, but it sounds like sparks really flew right away right when you met him. What did he teach you?

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: Take risks. Make good television. You're not going to make good television by having your second question ready to go, no matter what that person you're interviewing says.

Let life happen. We never had one rehearsed moment for 15 years, not one. And neither one of us had any idea that we would end up, you know, absolutely changing the landscape of daytime television for the rest of history.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: So you've had some amazing co-hosts in Regis and Hoda. But it sounds like you have a special place in your heart for Craig Ferguson.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: You think? [LAUGHS]

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: You write about him with so much love. I was like, I love that these two are collaborating. I love that you just did a film with him. It just seems like a really special friendship.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: When Hoda was on maternity leave, I got Craig for one day to host, and it was explosive. It was terrifying for our producers because they thought, oh my god, what are they going to do next? What are they going to say? You get fined a lot of money for certain things on TV. [CHUCKLES]

Well, they put a 15 second delay on us because we were that-- we were two naughty little kids in the playground. And we bring up the absolute worst in each other, which is the best television you can have.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: How much did moving to Nashville just give you a fresh start to be the new Kathie Lee?

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: I'm watered here. People water me. People put me in the sun and have truly welcomed me beyond anything I could have ever hoped to imagine. I'm seeing someone now, and we're having a good time. I wasn't having fun in my personal life for a long, long time.

When I first married Frank, I said, Lord, just give me 10 years with this man, I'll take 10. Because he was 23 years older than I was to the day. He gave me almost 30 years with him in our marriage. So 20 more than I had asked for. And that's the nature of God.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And it's never too late, right? That's what I love about this book. What are you most excited for in this next phase of your life?

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: I'm writing a new book right now called "The Jesus I Know," honest conversations. And they're with people like Craig Ferguson, who does not believe the same way I do. But I'm fascinated about people's impressions of Jesus.

I have a new film coming out called "The Way," that I directed. Oh gosh, what else? I've got a lot of stuff going.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I can tell that you're feeling this joy. I can see it. You're literally glowing.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: 15 years ago, when I left the show with Regis, people thought I was crazy. They go, how could you leave your dream job with-- with Regis, and your dream job with Hoda? I said, well, I never-- it never was my dream job. They were wonderful jobs with wonderful people, and I'm for them.

But my dream job all my life has been to be doing what I'm doing right now. I'm blessed to be in a season of my life right now where I'm happy on every single level, joyful on every level, and just-- and firing on all cylinders.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Kathie Lee, thank you so much for joining us today. As always, thank you for the transparency and for empowering all of us to go for the second act.

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD: Don't live with regrets. It's never too late.

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