Pour one out for the wine industry, 'cause Kathie Lee Gifford just left the Today show and profits are probably going to tank from here. On Friday, April 5, Gifford ended her 11-year-run with co-host Hoda Kotb on the fourth hour of Today. As part of her big goodbye episode, her Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee co-host Regis Philbin shared his own sweet message of support:
Kathie Lee Gifford didn't want to get too emotional about her goodbyes -- she's going to keep seeing everyone in her everyday life, including Hoda and Regis -- but she did seem to be touched by Regis' video. As you can see, she mouthed "I love you" after the video aired. Here's his full message, which was accompanied by images from Regis and Kathie Lee's 15 years together on the air:
Kathie Lee, you want to know what the best part of my life, my TV life, was? The 15 years I spent with you, 1985 to 2000. We stayed friends through the entire game and it was a lot of fun. Where you are right now, I know you're going to be moving on to a great new career, making movies. And since I've seen the first one, I know you're going to be a great success, I really mean it. I want you to know how I will always remember the great times that we had working together and how you are as a person -- just great.
As Regis Philbin noted, Kathie Lee Gifford is leaving Today to write, produce, and star in movies. Gifford told USA Today she filmed three movies in the past year, including Then Came You, co-starring Craig Ferguson, and A Godwink Christmas, which aired in November 2018 on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. She said she has seven more movies in development, including four that are follow-ups to Then Came You.
Kathie Lee said she began her Widow's Peak Pictures to make movies for people, like herself, who've lost their spouses. She also made her directorial debut with the short film The God Who Sees, which is being released today via GodWhoSees.com.
Kathie Lee Gifford said she stayed on Today 10 years longer than she initially planned. She wasn't interested in being part of the morning show, but her late husband Frank Gifford persuaded her to give it a year. She fell in love with Hoda and the rest of the crew and the rest is history. She said she thought she had done the best television she could ever do with Regis, and she's grateful to have had two great TV shows with beloved co-hosts.
Kathie Lee's final Today show was packed with special guests -- including John Cena, Dean Cain, Ryan Eggold, and Barry Manilow. She revealed that she even got a bouquet at home from Howard Stern and his wife Beth, despite Stern mocking Kathie Lee for decades:
That man hated my guts for 30 years and I prayed for him every single day. And turned it around.
Now that's going out on a high note!
The Today show has seen plenty of upheaval in the past couple of years -- from Megyn Kelly to Matt Lauer. From here, Jenna Bush Hager will take over as co-host of the fourth hour of Today. But Kathie Lee is truly irreplaceable.
