Kathie Lee Giffordis remembering her treasured friendship withformer onscreen partner,Regis Philbin.In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at Wednesday’s episode ofTamron Hall, Gifford, 69, recalled how her friendship with her longtime co-host — whodied at age 88 in July 2020— grew over the years.“We were each other’s best audience. I just miss him everyday. I loved that man dearly. We became closer friends after we stopped working together,” she told hostTamron Hall. “We worked together for 15 years and for the next 20 years, we just hung out as friends.“Gifford remembered the early days of working with Philbin and finding joy in being herself on television.“We were a local show when I first joined him,” she shared. “I leftGood Morning Americato be with Regis because I didn’t want to read from a teleprompter. I wanted to be my own person — fail or succeed just as the person that I am authentically.“Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford in April 1988.J. Michael Dombroski/Newsday RM via Getty ImagesThe television personality also reflected on how the pair were at different life stages while co-hostingLive With Regis and Kathie Lee, which became nationally syndicated in 1988 and ran until her departure in 2000.“I happened to be single when I first started with Regis. I met Frank [and] then we got married,” she said. “Then, I had our children a couple years later so Regis' children were already grown, they were like teenagers, [saying,] ‘Don’t talk about me, Dad. Don’t you talk. Nuh uh. No.’ He was muzzled and Regis did not like to be muzzled.““He would talk about what movie he saw last night. Mr. Out About Town. I would go, I have mastitis and my nipples are killing me,” she continued.Gifford added that it was “the first time” that someone had frankly discussed motherhood on national television.“I got a little graphic about it sometimes because I’m an actress and I would describe what that’s like,” she said, before impersonating Philbin’s shocked reaction. “He would go ‘Oh!’ and it worked.“SPW/Splash News OnlineAfter Gifford’s departure fromLive,Kelly Ripatook her place as co-host beside Philbin. Recently, Ripa released new autobiographyLive Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, in which she detailed her experiences working alongside Philbin.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.On Monday, Giffordadmittedshehas no plans to readRipa’s autobiography or the parts about her time working onLivewith Philbin, which Ripa claimed were “not a cakewalk.““I’m not gonna read the book. I haven’t read it. I don’t even know if it’s out yet,” she explained while appearing onGood Day New YorkMonday. “I just know what Regis was to me. He was, for 15 years, the best partner a person could ever, ever have professionally, but he was my friend.““In all the years I knew him, I never saw him unkind to anyone. I never did. If he liked you, he teased you,” Gifford continued.In regards to Ripa’s book, Gifford concluded: “I’m not going to say anything ugly about anybody. I never have and I’m not going to start now. My reality is something completely different from that.“Gifford’s interview onTamron Hallairs Wednesday.Checklocal listings.
Kathie Lee Giffordis remembering her treasured friendship withformer onscreen partner,Regis Philbin.
In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at Wednesday’s episode ofTamron Hall, Gifford, 69, recalled how her friendship with her longtime co-host — whodied at age 88 in July 2020— grew over the years.
“We were each other’s best audience. I just miss him everyday. I loved that man dearly. We became closer friends after we stopped working together,” she told hostTamron Hall. “We worked together for 15 years and for the next 20 years, we just hung out as friends.”
Gifford remembered the early days of working with Philbin and finding joy in being herself on television.
“We were a local show when I first joined him,” she shared. “I leftGood Morning Americato be with Regis because I didn’t want to read from a teleprompter. I wanted to be my own person — fail or succeed just as the person that I am authentically.”
Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford in April 1988.J. Michael Dombroski/Newsday RM via Getty Images
The television personality also reflected on how the pair were at different life stages while co-hostingLive With Regis and Kathie Lee, which became nationally syndicated in 1988 and ran until her departure in 2000.
“I happened to be single when I first started with Regis. I met Frank [and] then we got married,” she said. “Then, I had our children a couple years later so Regis' children were already grown, they were like teenagers, [saying,] ‘Don’t talk about me, Dad. Don’t you talk. Nuh uh. No.’ He was muzzled and Regis did not like to be muzzled.”
“He would talk about what movie he saw last night. Mr. Out About Town. I would go, I have mastitis and my nipples are killing me,” she continued.
Gifford added that it was “the first time” that someone had frankly discussed motherhood on national television.
“I got a little graphic about it sometimes because I’m an actress and I would describe what that’s like,” she said, before impersonating Philbin’s shocked reaction. “He would go ‘Oh!’ and it worked.”
SPW/Splash News Online
After Gifford’s departure fromLive,Kelly Ripatook her place as co-host beside Philbin. Recently, Ripa released new autobiographyLive Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, in which she detailed her experiences working alongside Philbin.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
On Monday, Giffordadmittedshehas no plans to readRipa’s autobiography or the parts about her time working onLivewith Philbin, which Ripa claimed were “not a cakewalk.”
“I’m not gonna read the book. I haven’t read it. I don’t even know if it’s out yet,” she explained while appearing onGood Day New YorkMonday. “I just know what Regis was to me. He was, for 15 years, the best partner a person could ever, ever have professionally, but he was my friend.”
“In all the years I knew him, I never saw him unkind to anyone. I never did. If he liked you, he teased you,” Gifford continued.
In regards to Ripa’s book, Gifford concluded: “I’m not going to say anything ugly about anybody. I never have and I’m not going to start now. My reality is something completely different from that.”
Gifford’s interview onTamron Hallairs Wednesday.Checklocal listings.
source: people.com
