It was an emotional day on the set of Live with Kelly and Mark as the show filmed its final episode at its longtime Upper West Side studio before moving to a new location downtown. The last episode was recorded on April 1 at 7 Lincoln Square, the studio’s home for 37 years. Located at 67th Street and Columbus Avenue, it had hosted the show through decades of changes, starting with Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford.
Kelly Ripa joined in 2001 and remained a constant through several co-host transitions, including Michael Strahan and Ryan Seacrest. Since April 2023, she’s been co-hosting with her husband, Mark Consuelos.
Though Consuelos joined recently, the studio holds deep meaning for the couple. “Our kids grew up here,” Consuelos told PEOPLE. “They’d come visit their mom backstage, even as babies.” Ripa and Consuelos, both 54, have three children: Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 22.
Ripa shared that during a time when maternity leave wasn’t widely supported, the show’s schedule allowed her to be both a full-time mother and a working professional — something she says she doesn’t take for granted.
The studio also played a part in their personal story. In 1996, shortly after breaking up, both were scheduled to appear on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee for a Mother’s Day segment. Despite trying to cancel, both showed up. The unexpected reunion brought them back together. The next day, Consuelos proposed, and they soon married in Las Vegas.
Live with Kelly and Mark is one of the last ABC programs moving to 7 Hudson Square, Disney’s new NYC headquarters. The building, named The Robert A. Iger Building, now hosts several other shows, including The View and The Tamron Hall Show. Good Morning America is also expected to move there by the end of the year.