At a time when talk show hosts seem to come and go, the one person that everyone can always rely on is Kelly Ripa. The New Jersey native has been the face of Live! for over two decades now and it doesn’t seem like she plans to walk away from the gig anytime soon.
After hosting the show with the late Regis Philbin for years, Ripa welcomed Ryan Seacrest as her latest co-host back in 2016 (following some issues with the departure of Michael Strahan). Since then, Live! has continued to be a huge hit. And for Ripa, that certainly means a hefty annual salary.
Kelly First Joined Live! In The '90s Following Kathie Lee Gifford’s Exit
At that time, Ripa had been starring in the daytime soap opera All My Children, and the last thing anyone probably expected of her at that time was to become a talk show host. Even Ripa herself seemed a little unconvinced that she was right for the job.
“I am the girl that when Kathie Lee left, thought, ‘Whoever takes over for her, I feel sorry for her. Nobody can do that job,’” she even recalled.
“I never in my wildest thought process thought it would be me.” But then in her new book, Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, Ripa also revealed that she discussed the job with her husband Mark Consuelos, and he pointed out that Live! would mean “better working hours and more money.”
Initially, Kelly Ripa Agreed To Do Live Despite A "Comical" List Of 'Deal Breakers'
After being a guest host on the show, Ripa was offered the regular host job but only if she agreed to every single one of the show’s demands, which included a long list of “deal breakers.”
“The list would have been comical to anyone in the entertainment industry had they been listening,” she wrote in her book.
“I thought they were petty, for lack of a more accurate descriptive.”
The conditions may even seem trivial to some, but it was made clear to Ripa that they all had to be met.
“Usually, the breaking point of any negotiation comes down to money, which this did as well, but the executives at Live! were also willing to blow up the deal over much smaller issues,” she continued. “I'm talking the most basic of basics.”
Among those “basics” was the condition that Ripa couldn’t bring in her own hair and makeup team. She had to rely on Philbin’s people instead.
“I can't state enough how standard it is to have a dedicated makeup and hair team on any show, much less one bearing the 'talent's' name,” she explained.
“But this was the number one deal breaker and the most consequential flash point of my entire contract.”
And when she “pushed back,” the show made it clear this was non-negotiable. “They insisted it was a deal breaker as Live! had a very specific look,” Ripa recalled.
“We laughed at the absurdity of the thought of what that look might be.”
Aside from this, Ripa had to agree to have “no wardrobe services or budget” as well as no paid maternity leave or even an office. Since then, however, things have been better, especially now that Ripa is the main face of Live!.
How Much Is Kelly Ripa Earning From Live! Now?
Ripa’s salary from the show has certainly increased significantly over the years. For instance, back in 2004, it was revealed that the actress/host signed a $40 million contract extension that would see her remain on Live! for another five years.
But then, her $8 million a year back then certainly pales in comparison to the salary that she’s been receiving from the show in recent years. For instance, in 2017, Forbes revealed that Ripa was already raking in $18 million and that the following year, that fee was expected to increase to over $20 million.
Since then, however, no official figures from the show have ever been released, although it’s safe to say that Ripa would have already received another large pay bump by now (some reports have also suggested that she is now earning around $22 million annually).
The actress also serves as an executive producer on Live with Kelly and Ryan, it is likely that her total payout from the show is a lot bigger.
Meanwhile, Live with Kelly and Ryan recently kicked off its 35th season and its premiere week got an impressive 1.937 million viewers, according to a press statement. And with the show’s ratings continuing to be strong, it’s a safe bet that both Ripa and Live! will be around for many years to come.
That said, Ripa did indicate that she’s got some other plans too, one seems to involve taking on more producer roles. “I like being off camera. It is what I like to do the most. I like creating spaces for other people to be on camera,” she explained.
“I’m hoping that maybe as time goes on, I’ll be able to pull away from being on camera and get behind the camera, because I really do like the creative process.”
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