Regis Philbin is saying goodbye after 22 years on the air. Regis made the announcement this morning on “Live with Regis & Kelly” saying, “This will be my last year on this show. “It’s been a long time, it’s been 28 years since I’ve been here. And it was the biggest thrill of my life … but there is a time, there is a time that everything needs to come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people.”
At 79 years old, Regis is one of the oldest talk show hosts on the screen. But can the show really survive without Regis? Sure, his cohost changed over the 22 years in syndication (from Kathy Lee Gifford to Kelly Ripa in 2001), and it did fine, but who can replace Regis? No clues were given this morning as to who would try to fill his shoes.
Kelly Ripa had this to say following his announcement:
“I think I can only speak for America and all of us here when I say that it has been a pleasure and a privilege and a dream come true, and I wish I could do something to make you change your mind.”