Mark Consuelos Jokes He 'Might As Well Finish' His Career With Wife Kelly Ripa By Cohosting 'Live'

Mark Consuelos teased at his reasons for choosing to host Live alongside wife Kelly Ripa after it was announced that longtime cohost Ryan Seacrest would be leaving the hit chat-fest earlier this month.

"We figured the idea ‘what could possibly go wrong?’ is something we’d definitely like to explore," the Riverdale actor noted. "Now, we have the chance."

However, not everyone was as excited about the couple's newly-announced television team-up. As OK! previously reported, fans took to social media to voice their frustration with the network's choice for cohost after the show has already gone through several name changes over the years.

"Not Mark Consuelos taking over for Ryan Seacrest on Kelly & Ryan…after Ryan took over for Michael who took over for Regis…this talk show just needs to hang it up," one Twitter user lamented, with another writing, "Can they reconsider the co-host please. Kelly & Mark are ok as a married couple off screen, but I can't stomach them being hosts together."

Despite backlash from viewers, a source recently dished that ABC had been attempting to "woo" Consuelos into taking the gig since last year and have had him waiting in the wings as a "built-in host."

The American Idol host announced his intention to leave Live with Kelly and Ryan on the Thursday, February 16, episode, revealing it was a "tough, tough decision."

Seacrest assured watchers he would still occasionally guest-host on the show, while Ripa admitted Consuelos was the "only person" she could think of "capable of holding [Ryan's] torch" after the popular tv personality's departure.

Ripa and Consuelos spoke with Us Weekly on working together as cohosts.

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