Kelly Ripa has taken working remotely to a whole new level! She’s been with her family in the Caribbean while filming her morning show ever since the coronavirus quarantine began.
Kelly Ripa has managed to log Caribbean vacation time while still hosting Live with Kelly and Ryan each morning during quarantine. It turns out that she hasn’t been at home in New York when she appears remotely on TV every day. Instead, Kelly, 49, her husband Mark Consuelos, also 49, and their three kids are staying at an “island hideaway” as first reported by Page Six on May 21. The site says that the family was already there when New York’s shelter in place order began in March and decided to stay put in paradise. A source familiar with the show has confirmed to HollywoodLife.com that Page Six‘s report “is accurate.”
While it might sound glamorous to literally be trapped on an idyllic Caribbean island, quarantine hasn’t been easy for Kelly. She’s discussed on Live how much she misses being able to hug her parents Joe and Esther Ripa, and that her two of her three kids with Mark, daughter Lola, 18, and sons Michael, 22, and Joaquin, 17, won’t hug their mom even though they’re all in lockdown together. On Apr. 9 she told co-host Ryan Seacrest — who is filming remotely from his L.A. home– that, “I’m not going to lie, okay? I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I’m currently not speaking to two of my three kids. I’m not talking to two of them. Just because, we’re all in the same boat together, right?”
“I haven’t gotten to hug my parents. I want to hug my parents. I miss hugging my parents,” Kelly confessed while welling up with tears. “And my kids, like, won’t hug me. And I’m like, ‘Guys, we’ve all been in lockdown together. We’re fine. You can give me a hug. It’s fine.’” She continued, “Anyway, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying. Maybe I’m just going to get my period, who knows. Sorry, sorry. Sometimes we forget that we’re on. Did I shout that, or did my inner monologue come out? Sorry, didn’t mean to do that.”
Here’s Kelly today, May 21, on Live with the now familiar generic white curtains and chair from her Caribbean hideaway behind her:
While here is Kelly and Mark co-hosting Live with Kelly and Ryan together on Apr. 20 from their island getaway retreat:
Kelly and Mark helped Michael celebrate a major milestone on May 21 while still in the Caribbean…and she got a much needed hug from her son out of it! Their eldest child became a college grad! Since NYU like all other universities is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and no formal ceremony was held, the couple brought the celebration to the tropics. Kelly shared a photo to her Instagram showing Michael wearing a NYU t-shirt with a mortar board cap and tassel, while standing between his folks with his arms around them.
Behind them was the mirror surrounded by colorful pink, yellow and orange flowers that is partially seen in Kelly’s daily appearances on Live. She beamed in a blue and white tropical shirt with her hair pulled back and captioned the pic, “And just like that you graduated college. MJC, the joy and pride you have brought our family is indescribable. I love you with all my heart #NYU #2020.” Hopefully the family was able to celebrate by beach afterwards at their island getaway!