Kelly Ripa Is Returning to 'Live!'

Kelly Ripa has broken her silence about co-host Michael Strahan's announced departure from "Live! with Kelly and Michael," telling staffers she will return to the show on Tuesday, reports Variety.

In an internal email to employees of the show, Ripa wrote, "I wanted to thank you all for giving me the time to process this new information. Your kindness, support, and love has overwhelmed me. We are a family and I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday morning."

Following Strahan's announcement that he will exit the show for a gig on "Good Morning America," Ripa had failed to show up for work, the network saying she was on a "pre-arranged" vacation.

During her absence, Ripa was spotted with a copy of the book "David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants" by Malcolm Gladwell. Ana Gasteyer and Erin Andrews covered for Ripa last week, and Shay Mitchell will cover on Monday.

For his part, Strahan has praised his co-host on the air for inspiring and teaching him.