Well known for numerous appearances and hosting gigs on various entertainment news shows, reality TV series, and radio programs, Ryan Seacrest is headed for another big spot as the co-host to Kelly Ripa on daytime television, in the form of Live with Kelly and Ryan. For those in the know, Ripa has been actively seeking a replacement for her former co-host Michael Strahan - who left the popular NBC talk show for an anchor position on Good Morning America at ABC last year - and as such has been carrying the bulk of the show on her own, for quite some time now.

After Strahan abruptly left Ripa without a co-host to make his own career move to Good Morning America - which ended up occurring a full four months earlier than was initially stated on the behalf of all parties directly involved - Ripa took some time off from the show to reassess the situation. Upon returning, things remained tense between Ripa and Strahan for a time, before contract negotiations were finally hashed out in order to appease and resolve any and all lingering personal resentments and professional misgivings. On that note, it would appear that Ripa is finally ready to move on with a new co-host.

According to On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Seacrest will be officially stepping up to the plate as Ripa's cohost on the newly-renamed Live with Kelly and Ryan. The announcement came with a whirlwind of excitement emanating from both entertainment personalities involved, and the first day on the set of the new show appears to have gone along swimmingly, as the video featured below can attest to:

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By all accounts, it would seem that Live with Kelly and Ryan is on the right track, and Ripa has finally managed to find a new cohost with whom she can move beyond the stumbling block that was presented to her last year in the form of Strahan's departure from the program. Echoing that sentiment, Seacrest recently spoke to The New York Times regarding his enthusiasm for working with Ripa - an arrangement that will reportedly have no impact on his many other hosting gigs - stating:

"She is so smooth and seamless and wonderfully clever and quick - she's part of people's lives, in their living rooms - and I want to come in as a friend of hers and as a friend to the audience."

With any luck, Live with Kelly and Ryan will prove to be a success with its built-in audience and fanbase, and will go on to be a lucrative program on the daytime talk show media circuit. On that note, here's to hoping for the very best for Ripa, Seacrest, and company.

Live with Kelly and Ryan airs weekdays on NBC.

Source: On Air with Ryan Seacrest