At 80 years old, there isn’t much that Live’s Regis Philbin hasn’t done, from Sportscaster to News Anchor to Red Carpet Reporter. The Live co-host has been a presence on television for over 50 years, shattering his own world record of anyone on the air and the total is no 16, 780 1/2 hours. After 28 years on Live, Philbin has decided to move on in part because the contract he was offered made him think “it was time to move on.”
Philbin will be heading on a book tour for his just-released memoir and some nightclub dates that he’s scheduled this winter.
In a recent interview with Catie Couric, she asked Philbin what he would miss the most about his former morning show: “the excitement of walking out, you know, hearing that applause — knowing that the audience is there, and they’re on your side, and they want to be entertained, and you can do that for them. It’s nice to know.”
Now, the big question is…who will be replacing the iconic co-host? Producers of the show have been featuring a steady rotation of celebrity guest hosts but Philbin told Access Hollywood that “Dancing With the Stars” host Tom Bergeron would be the perfect replacement! Well, did Regis get his way? Not yet anyway, there was no announcement made. I guess we will just have to continue going around the ‘merry go round’ of Kelly with guest co-hosts for now. “Saturday Night Live” alum, Dana Carvey is, known for his impressions of Regis and according to The New York Post, Carvey is a top contender.
In Regis’s last moment on “Live”, he thanks everyone for all the wonderful 28 years and tells viewers that the show will continue on with Kelly, he will always remember the mornings he spent with everyone and God bless.
