LIVE with Kelly and Mark Studio Recap: Why Was Michael Strahan’s Era Left Out?

A Farewell to the Iconic Studio, but One Era Was Missing from the Montage

during the LIVE with Kelly and Mark’s Studio Recap ?

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos co-host the final episode of 'Live with Kelly and Mark' filmed at its Upper West Side studio. Photo: Disney/LORENZO BEVILAQUA

I’ve been a fan of LIVE with Kelly and Mark for as long as I can remember. Long before Mark Consuelos joined as co-host, I was watching as a kid when it was LIVE with Regis and Kelly. The show has always been a staple of my mornings, and my love for it has only grown over the years. In fact, I’ve even attended the show in person multiple times, fueled by my own dream of hosting a talk show one day.

Now, my partner and I watch LIVE together every morning. It’s part of our routine, and he especially enjoys it because he and Mark have such similar personalities. He always gets a kick out of Mark’s witty comebacks.

Today, however, marked the end of an era—LIVE with Kelly and Mark aired its final episode from the studio on West 67th Street before moving to a new location with a recap montage. As expected, they took a heartfelt trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the show's incredible history. But something was missing.

Michael Strahan was nowhere to be found.

Despite being Kelly Ripa’s co-host from 2012 to 2016, his era on the show was completely left out of the recap footage. The omission was hard to ignore. If you remember, Strahan’s departure from LIVE wasn’t exactly smooth. After four years as co-host, he suddenly transitioned to Good Morning America, a move that blindsided Kelly and led to tension behind the scenes. Kelly even took a few days off after the announcement, upset that she hadn’t been informed beforehand. The fallout was widely publicized, making it one of the most dramatic exits in daytime TV history.

David M. Russell/Disney ABC Home Entertainment and Television Distribution

Of course, Michael has gone on to thrive at GMA, and Kelly has since had a rotating door of guest co-hosts before Mark stepped into the role full-time. But looking back, Michael Strahan brought a fresh, younger demographic to the show. His dynamic with Kelly was different, and in many ways, it paved the way for Mark to seamlessly transition into the current co-host role.

So why erase that chapter? Regardless of what went down behind the scenes, Michael’s presence was a significant part of LIVE’s history. Was the omission purely personal? Or was it a business decision—perhaps due to financial or contractual reasons?

What do you think—why do you think they chose to leave out the Kelly and Michael years from the farewell montage? Let’s discuss!