Kelly Ripa announces new, permanent ‘Live’ co-host (Video)

After months of speculation and a carousal of hosts filling in, Kelly Ripa has finally chosen and revealed who her new Live with Kelly co-host is.

On Monday, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest will be her new co-host going forward.

Seacrest is taking over the seat left vacant by Michael Strahan almost a year ago after the announcement was made that he was leaving for Good Morning America.

Ripa said she was blindsided by Strahan's departure and even took some time away from hosting the show. When she returned, she explained the situation to her viewers about not being told he was leaving prior to the public learning it.

RELATED: Kelly Ripa returns to ‘Live’ and gives heartfelt speech

The tension between the former NFL star and Ripa was evident during their last days of co-hosting together. Once he left, instead of quickly choosing someone to fill the seat, there were months of rotating hosts in what seemed like auditions from seasoned television personalities to Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, to even viewers at home who were lucky enough to be chosen and try their hosting chops on set.

In the end though we now know that Seacrest earned the job. One can't really argue that he is a bad choice either. He is of course no stranger to TV or hosting or interviewing Hollywood celebs so he should be very good on the show. And it looks like network executives are hoping that he and Ripa will be hosting together for many years to come as the show is no longer being called Live with Kelly but now Live with Kelly and Ryan.

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