NEW YORK — Regis Philbin caught viewers off-guard Tuesday with the news that he’ll be leaving his talk show after 28 years.
“I don’t want to alarm anybody,” he began before dropping the bomb: “This will be my last year on the show.”
More specifically, he meant he will be stepping down from “Live! With Regis and Kelly” sometime in late 2011, although he didn’t pin down a departure date.
“We’ll have a lot of fun between now and then,” he promised.
According to the syndicated show’s distributor, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, “Live!” will carry on, with a new co-host to be named to join Kelly Ripa, who marks 10 years with the show next month.
“There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera — especially certain old people!” cracked the 79-year-old Philbin.
The Associated Press
