Kelly Ripa Blindsided by Michael Strahan’s Exit From Show to Join 'GMA' Full Time

By Kathleen Nava | Apr 20, 2016 02:25 PM EDT

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After spending four years sitting beside Kelly Ripa on LIVE! With Kelly and Michael, Michael Strahan is leaving the show to join Good Morning America full time, and the news had the biggest impact on his co-host who got the heads up about Strahan’s exit on the same day the rest of the world did!

"I look forward to continuing to work with the incredible team at GMA. It is an exciting opportunity to be able to bring unique stories and voices to the audience," Strahan said in a statement. "My time with LIVE with Kelly and Michael has been transformative, and my departure will be bittersweet. Kelly has been an unbelievable partner, and I am so thankful to her and the entire team. I am extremely grateful for the amazing support I've received from all of the fans."

Strahan has joined the GMA team twice a week while co-hosting Live, which plans to kick off the search for a new co-host when the new season starts in the fall. In 2012, Strahan was nabbed to co-host the show after a 10-month search for a replacement for Regis Philbin.

Following their 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. EST broadcast, Strahan pulled Ripa and Executive Producer Michael Gelman aside at 10:30 to inform them that he would be leaving Live for GMA, sources connected with the production of the show told TMZ. The insiders mentioned that both Ripa and Gelman were “stunned and upset” by the news.

GMA hopes Strahan's presence will help reverse its ratings slide. In 2012, the morning show overtook Today in total viewers after a 16-year streak, but Today recently reclaimed the lead. Strahan's departure leaves behind a hosting vacancy at Live. The show is expected to conduct on-air tryouts this fall to find a replacement, just as it did when Strahan took over for Philbin and Ripa replaced Kathie Lee Gifford in 2001.

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