Kelly Ripa’s Summer Break Spurs Hosting Shuffle on Live with Kelly and Mark
I guess I can simplify this for you, but here we go. I’m Jordan Collins.
Kelly Ripa is taking her annual summer vacation from ABC’s Live! with Kelly and Mark, marking her first on-air absence since 2001. Over the first week of August, viewers tuned in to find husband and cohost Mark Consuelos flying solo alongside guest partners Jenna Dewan and Jackie Tohn, who stepped in to keep the banter lively in Kelly’s stead.
Mark Consuelos, fresh off his own recent getaway, wasted no time making Dewan and Tohn feel welcomed. On the August 6 episode, he recounted the moment he and Kelly met Jackie off-camera and agreed she’d fit the fill-in role perfectly. “When Kelly and I got done meeting you and walked off,” Mark said, “we said, ‘Wow, she would be a great fill-in.’” To which Jackie replied, “Really? That makes me want to cry. Thank you.”
The long-time daytime duo, married nearly three decades and parents to Michael, 28, Lola, 24, and Joaquin, 22, often vacation separately. In a recent conversation with E! News, Kelly confessed they “don’t really see each other very much,” noting that their joint TV appearances belie two distinct personal schedules and interests outside the morning show.
Kelly’s ideal downtime involves mastering her new Mahjong hobby, while Mark prefers tee times and fairways. When projects arise, they alternate lead roles, as Mark explained, “No matter what the project is, one of us goes in headfirst, and the other one supports.” That mutual strategy fuels both their on-screen chemistry and decades-long marriage.
Ripa’s departure on the day-time desk isn’t unprecedented. She’s previously shared highlights of her family adventures on social media, like cheering on the Wolverines at the March 2022 Division I Wrestling Championships or playfully filling the post-school-dropoff void with a 2008 throwback when her oldest went off to college. Mom-and-dad moments from Lola’s 19th birthday and Joaquin’s high school graduation also pepper Kelly’s Instagram feed.
In June 2021, the Consuelos clan finally took that long-postponed Mediterranean trip to Greece and Italy, a journey turned into their holiday card. Kelly even resurrected an “Easter from the year 2012” family snapshot to prove she never misses a chance to tease her perpetually unimpressed teen daughter.
Meanwhile, Mark publicly honored the “spectacular women” in his life on International Women’s Day and celebrated with sweet Valentine’s Day posts. Kelly’s National Sons Day tribute and Michael’s heartfelt birthday shout-out further underscore how the pair juggle demanding careers with dedicated parenting.
Whether on camera or off, Kelly and Mark maintain a dynamic blend of separate passions and shared support. Her week-long break is simply the latest example of how the daytime power couple balances life, love and long-running TV success.
Glad I could clear that up for you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, E! News, ABC
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
