Veteran Broadcaster Is Stepping Down From 'Live With Regis and Kelly'
By SHEILA MARIKAR
Jan. 18, 2011
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Veteran broadcaster Regis Philbin announced today that he will be retiring from the weekday talk show "Live With Regis and Kelly" after nearly 25 years.
"This will be my last year on this show," he said. "It was the biggest thrill of my life. There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people."
Philbin said he would be stepping down from the show around the end of the summer, but didn't specify a departure date. Though he's departing, the "Live" franchise will continue: The Disney-ABC Television Group plans to name a new personality to join Kelly Ripa, who has co-hosted the show for nearly ten years.
Philbin, 79, has been a television personality since the 1950s. After beginning his TV career in Los Angeles, Philbin moved to New York City and WABC-TV in 1983. Kathie Lee Gifford joined him there in June 1985 and in September 1988, their AM entertainment hour debuted in national syndication. Its title was changed from "The Morning Show" to "Live with Regis & Kathie Lee."
Often called the "hardest working man in show business," Philbin set a Guinness World Record for most hours on camera with his Aug. 20, 2004 "Live" show, which gave him a total of 15,188 hours on television. In 2006, his record was updated to 15,662 hours.
In addition to "Live," Philbin is famous for formerly hosting the ABC game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," the CBS game show "Million Dollar Password," and the NBC competition show "America's Got Talent."
Last year, Philbin took time off from his hosting duties to have a blood clot removed from his leg. He also had hip replacement surgery in December 2010 and triple heart bypass surgery in 2007.
A three-time Emmy Award winner, Philbin was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 2008.
Philbin has been married to his second wife, interior decorator Joy Senese, since 1970. He has four children, two with Senese and two with his first wife, Kay Faylan.
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