Kelly Ripa Absent from ‘Live!’ Again, Reportedly Escaping to Paradise Amidst Drama

On Thursday, TV personality Kelly Ripa was spotted for the first time since news of Michael Strahan's exit from their show “Live! with Kelly and Michael.”

While stepping out in NYC, Ripa was seen carrying Malcolm Gladwell's book “David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants,” which focuses on what it means to be discriminated against and how to overcome other apparent setbacks. It was the second day that Kelly was absent from the ABC show, with Erin Andrews filling in for her for the rest of the week.

Though Ripa was not on the show, Michael continued to express his appreciation for her on "Good Morning America." He said, "I'm very thankful for her, to her, because I've learned so much from her. And [executive producer] Michael Gelman showed me the ropes. I was so new to all of this, and if it weren't for her and [if] it weren't for Michael Gelman and the staff there that really boosted me up and made me look a lot better than I really am, I never would have had a chance to be here and I'm grateful that I'm here. We're on the same team, same family, same network.”

He went on, "It's like my second family here. I'm gonna miss everybody at 'Live!' I mean, sitting next to Kelly every day and having a lot of fun on that show the last four years."

It has been reported that Kelly will be heading on a family vacation to Turks and Caicos for her “long planned” 20th-anniversary trip with hubby Mark Consuelos. A source told People, "It's fortuitous that she had this trip planned with her husband and it wouldn't be surprising if it started early.”