A Bittersweet Goodbye and a New Beginning: ‘Live With Kelly and Mark’ Says Farewell to Its Longtime Studio Home
Live With Kelly and Mark, one of America’s most beloved morning talk shows, is entering a new era—not just in physical space, but in sentiment and tradition. The show recently bid farewell to its iconic longtime studio on the Upper West Side of New York City, marking the end of a 37-year chapter in its history. While the departure from their original set is a significant change, fans can breathe easy—there is no departure of hosts. Both Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are continuing their roles as co-hosts. The major shift, rather, is the relocation of the show’s production to a brand-new studio downtown.
The last episode filmed on the original set aired on Tuesday, April 1, and it was an emotional moment for both the cast and crew. For Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, this move was not just professional—it was deeply personal.
“Our kids grew up here,” Consuelos shared in an interview with People magazine, reflecting on the many years they spent in that familiar studio space. “They’d come visit mom here a lot — they were always backstage, even when they were babies.”
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, who married in 1996, share three children: Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 22. As two working parents in the entertainment industry, Ripa and Consuelos found unique ways to blend their personal and professional lives, often bringing their children to work. The studio was more than a workplace—it was a second home.
“They came to work with me every day until they went to school,” Ripa explained. “They would go to All My Children with me, they would come here with me. When we say they grew up in this building, in these four walls, we truly mean it.”
Ripa’s time on All My Children in the early stages of her career overlapped with motherhood, a period when support for working mothers in media wasn’t as robust as it is today. “I had my kids back in a time when maternity leave was not really a thing; we didn’t really know how to negotiate that or navigate that,” she said. “But the good news is you could bring your kids to work with you.”
Because Live is a morning show with hours that often accommodate family life better than traditional work schedules, Ripa was able to remain both a present parent and a full-time professional—an experience she doesn’t take for granted.
“Their childhood memories are filled with the people and places connected to this show,” she said.
Mark Consuelos added that the staff of Live weren’t just colleagues; they became extended family. “Some of our closest friends are people that work here,” he shared. “We’re a family at Live, and growing up, those were some of the people our kids were closest to.”
Ripa echoed the sentiment, recalling the personal bonds their children have formed with members of the production team over the years. “My kids have full text chains with some of the people here,” she said. “Lola doesn’t look at some of our producers as producers; she looks at them as other moms. These are moms she and my sons can go to if I’m on set and there’s an emergency.”
The relocation of the show’s production to a new downtown Manhattan studio signifies growth and renewal, but also nostalgia. The transition isn’t about replacing the past—it’s about honoring it while embracing the future. Despite the move, the spirit of Live With Kelly and Mark remains unchanged: it’s a show rooted in authenticity, connection, and a strong sense of community—both on screen and behind the scenes.
As Ripa and Consuelos step into this new chapter, viewers can expect the same warm energy, chemistry, and candidness that has defined the show for decades. The backdrop may be different, but the heart of Live—anchored by the bond of its hosts and their deep ties to the people around them—remains as strong as ever.
