Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest are paying tribute to Regis Philbin after his death. The current Live! hosts released a heartfelt joint statement on Saturday afternoon to reflect on their decades of work with him, including Kelly’s 10 years as Regis’s onscreen partner.
“We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin,” Kelly and Ryan wrote on Instagram. “He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes everyday on Live for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show. We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place.”
Regis died at age 88 of natural causes. He is survived by daughters Joanna and J.J. — whom he shared with his wife Joy — as well as his daughter Amy — whom he shared with his first wife, Catherine Faylen.