It took more than a year for Kelly Ripa to find the right person to co-host Live with her after Michael Strahan abruptly left for another gig on Good Morning America. And while she seems to have incredible chemistry with his replacement, Ryan Seacrest, a source recently told In Touch that Kelly feels extremely betrayed amid “the most likable guy in showbiz’s” sexual misconduct allegations.
The source said, “Kelly feels blindsided. The last thing she needs is celebrities boycotting [the show]. Everyone is on pins and needles.” While Ryan might still be interviewing some of the biggest names in Hollywood with Kelly by his side, that certainly wasn’t the case on the 2018 Oscars red carpet. Days before of the show, publicists said they would steer their clients away from Ryan because of the claims and it was noticeable during the broadcast that he was having a slow night.
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It wasn’t until Kelly and her husband, Mark Consuelos, walked by on the carpet that Ryan got some acknowledgment. She said, “You look amazing. We were watching you upstairs in the hotel. It’s great. You’re doing a great job!” However, despite sending Ryan positive vibes, the source said Kelly is confused by the allegations. The insider claimed, “That’s not the Ryan she knows at all. Of course, she wants to side with him, but she’s torn.”
“No one assumed that Ryan had any skeletons in his closet, but the big question is: Did Ryan have any idea that this would come out?” the source continued. And in the era of the #MeToo and #Time’sUp movement, the source added, “Every corporation in the country is playing it safe,” which means if ratings for Live With Kelly and Ryan start to drop, the network will have no choice but to do something about it. “[Kelly’s] waiting to see what happens with Ryan. But [either way] this is a dark period for her.”
