The Truth Behind Kelly Ripa And Regis Philbin's Relationship

Everybody and their mother was speculating about the real reason why Regis Philbin ultimately walked away from hosting "Live!" We'll probably never know the full story, but it's fun to speculate about what was happening behind the scenes. As USA Today noted, legendary shock jock Howard Stern joined the conversation during a 2019 episode of "The Howard Stern Show." Chatting with guest Jimmy Kimmel, Stern opined, "Kelly [Ripa] I don't think likes Regis. That's the thing. They have a war." 

The talk show host tried to counter Stern's shocking allegation, but he persisted, insisting it was true and, further, suggesting the duo wasn't even on speaking terms at the time. In fact, Stern reckoned Kelly Ripa's main issue was that Philbin didn't tell her when he was planning to walk away. On that point, co-host Robin Quivers argued, "I don't think Regis left on his own accord," which even Kimmel acknowledged may have been the case.