What will happen when Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan reunite Tuesday?
As a morning show veteran, Katie Couric was able to offer E! News an insider's perspective regarding Ripa and Strahan's untelevised issues on the set of Live! With Kelly and Michael. "My feeling is they'll work it out," Yahoo's global news anchor said at the 2016 Matrix Awards in New York City Monday, noting that she's not privy to all the behind the scenes drama. "I think Kelly, obviously, should be included in any kind of massive transition like that. Hopefully she'll move forward and Michael will move forward and it will all work out. Yes, it's been quite a brouhaha."
Last week, a source told E! News Ripa was "livid" after learning that Strahan would be leaving the show to co-host Good Morning America full-time. Before she had a chance to process the information and do damage control, The Hollywood Reporter published an internal memo detailing Strahan's career move. Ripa called in sick before Wednesday's show, so Ana Gasteyer was brought in as a last-minute replacement; Erin Andrews and Shay Mitchell filled in for Ripa through Monday, as she had previously requested time off to celebrate her 20th anniversary with Mark Consuelos. Late Friday, Kelly sent staffers an e-mail, writing, "I wanted to thank you all for giving me the time to process this new information. Your kindness, support, and love has overwhelmed me. We are a family and I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday morning."
Ripa's own friend, Andy Cohen, will be tuning in. "I can't wait to see what she says," he said on SiriusXM Monday.
Couric, who co-hosted NBC's Today from 1991 to 2006, understands perhaps more than anyone why chemistry is such a vital component in a morning show's success. To that end, the interest in Live! is only growing ahead of Tuesday's show. "People are fascinated by behind the scenes drama of people who are on television. They want to know, 'What do they really think? Do they really like each other? What are they really like?'" she told E! News. "So I'm not surprised it's getting so much attention. But I think they're both great people, and I think they'll move on from this."
The search for Strahan's Live! replacement will commence this fall. Asked who she would nominate, Couric responded, "I have no idea. Honestly, I have no dog in that hunt, as they say."