TV veteran Regis Philbin to retire
Regis Philbin, a familiar face on U.S. talk shows and game shows for decades, has announced his retirement from his longtime morning show, Live with Regis and Kelly.
Philbin, who in 2004 was deemed the Guinness World Record-holder for the most time spent in front of a television camera, revealed on Tuesday he's stepping down from the daytime talk show sometime at the end of the summer.
The 79-year-old broadcaster, a multiple Daytime Emmy Award winner, did not specify a departure date.
"It's been a long time. It's been 28 years," he told the New York City audience.
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"There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera — especially certain old people!" he quipped.
New York-born Philbin got his start behind the scenes in radio and television before moving in front of the camera to host a local San Diego talk show. He went national in the late 1960s when he became the sidekick on The Joey Bishop Show.
After a multitude of other hosting gigs, Philbin was paired with Kathie Lee Johnson (later Gifford) in 1985 for a local New York morning show. Three years later, the successful show was nationally syndicated.
| Ottawa's Jeff Mauler will be the lone Canadian radio DJ to land a coveted featured spot on Live with Regis and Kelly as part of the show's upcoming "Men of Radio Co-Host for a Day" contest. Mauler, a host of HOT 89.9's morning show, was among the thousands who entered to fill in for Philbin and co-host with Ripa next week. His victory was announced Monday. He will be one of five radio hosts joining Ripa in New York City next week. The remaning four are all American DJs. |
After Gifford's departure in 2000, Philbin shared hosting duties with a variety of co-hosts until Ripa was named his full-time co-host.
Philbin and Ripa took their show to Prince Edward Island last summer, with viewers from around the world tuning in to see the co-hosts experience the province's seafood, beaches, golf courses and other Island attractions.
Over the years, Philbin also served as host for a number of game shows, specials and variety programs, including Who Wants to Be a Millionaire andDick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.
With files from The Associated Press