After a 4-year run as Kelly Ripa‘s popular co-host on LIVE with Kelly and Michael, Michael Strahan is exiting the talk show to expand his role on Good Morning America. LIVE will kick off the search for a new co-host when the new season begins in the fall.
The move to GMA will take place in September when Strahan becomes a full time co-anchor joining George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, Amy Robach, Lara Spencer and Ginger Zee on the top-rated morning newscast.
Behind the Scenes: Michael Strahan Hams it Up for Parade Cover!
“I look forward to continuing to work with the incredible team at GMA. It is an exciting opportunity to be able to bring unique stories and voices to the audience,” said the former NFL star. “My time with LIVE with Kelly and Michael has been transformative, and my departure will be bittersweet. Kelly has been an unbelievable partner, and I am so thankful to her and the entire team. I am extremely grateful for the amazing support I’ve received from all of the fans.”
Strahan began visiting the GMA team twice weekly in 2014, in addition to co-hosting LIVE with Kelly and Michael. He landed the LIVE gig in 2012 following a 10-month search for a replacement for Regis Philbin.
“Over the past two years on GMA Michael’s proven to be a tireless and versatile broadcaster with an incredible ability to connect with people, from veterans and all kinds of newsmakers to a host of modern American cultural icons,” said James Goldston, president, ABC News. “He is a great modern thinker and leader, and with our brilliant team in front of and behind the cameras, he will help us drive forward into a very exciting future.”
Strahan has brought GMA viewers a wide range of interviews and stories, from a remarkable reunion of two Green Berets who survived a firefight in Afghanistan to a visit with Jennifer Lopez to her childhood neighborhood.
Upon his retirement in 2008 from the NFL, where he played for 15 years for the New York Giants, Strahan began his career in television as an analyst for FOX Sports. He will remain a co-host of NFL on FOX.
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