"What's unique is that Ryan Seacrest and I have a 20-plus year friendship. We've known each other for a really long time," she said.
We've seen the on-screen energetic duo of Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest on with Kelly and Ryan. Recently, Kelly opened up about their off-screen equation, calling Ryan the "kid brother I've never had." Talking about her off-screen friendship with her co-host, she said on Monday's episode of 'Dear Gabby' podcast, "What's unique is that Ryan Seacrest and I have a 20-plus year friendship. We've known each other for a really long time."
The 52-year-old star has hosted the ABC morning talk show 'Live with Kelly and Ryan' with Ryan Seacrest, 47, since 2017. Their on-screen and off-screen dynamic is warming, to say the least. As per reports from PEOPLE, Kelly knew Ryan before he joined her as co-host. Their "unique" relationship only seems to have grown stronger over the years. Ripa said how the strong understanding they share off-screen really makes things smooth for them in the reel life. "So we've known each other, and we trust each other, and we respect each other," Ripa continued. "We have a really unique off-camera friendship ... which doesn't happen very often. So we had that going in."
Once on-air, host Gabby Bernstein referred to Ripa as the "lighthouse," in her friendship with Ryan. "Certain events are so earth-shattering and they feel so insurmountable," Ripa acknowledges, but having Seacrest by her side helps make the dark days easier. "What is unique is that the two of us have, I don't wanna say a psychic ability, but we have a shorthand," Ripa said. "We have the ability to read each other in a way where I know where his breaking points are and he knows where mine are. And so when bad things happen we are able to — behind the scenes — connect and say, 'It's gonna be OK, I'll take this one, I got it." She happily shares how having Live in her life is an honor "to be welcomed into people's homes for 23 years."
Seacrest also talked about their friendship with Ripa, agreeing on their "psychic" ability to know what the other is thinking and understand each other smoothly. "When we look at each other and talk to each other, there's obviously a tremendous amount of trust and respect, but also we can read each other's mind," he said. "And I didn't know we could do that so well, but that's true every day."
They are so important to each other that they got a teeny bit emotional in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2020. "I'm using every ounce of energy to fight back tears right now while she's saying that," Seacrest said. "He just brings a joyfulness, an enthusiasm, a professionalism, and an authenticity to this place that I'm just so grateful to have here," Ripa added.
References:
https://people.com/tv/kelly-ripa-on-the-strength-of-her-bond-with-ryan-seacrest/
Cover Image Source: Instagram | Kelly Ripa
