Kelly Ripa has stayed off Live for weeks after surgery while Mark Consuelos leads the show with celebrity guest co-hosts

Kelly Ripa won’t be back on Live with Kelly and Mark just yet. The longtime daytime TV host is expected to remain off the air for several more weeks as she continues recovering from gum graft surgery.

Ripa has been absent from the show since late July after undergoing what her husband and co-host, Mark Consuelos, described as a painful dental procedure.

During her recovery, Consuelos has been joined by a rotating lineup of celebrity guest co-hosts while leading the daily broadcasts.

According to the current schedule, Ripa is expected to return when Live with Kelly and Mark launches its 39th season on September 8. Until then, the show will continue featuring guest hosts before switching to its annual summer reruns through Labor Day.

This week’s remaining episodes will feature Carrie Coon and Michelle Buteau filling in alongside Consuelos.

Beginning next week, viewers will see encore episodes that include previously unaired opening conversations between the hosts, along with memorable celebrity interviews from the past season.

Consuelos first revealed his wife’s absence during the July 27 broadcast, explaining that she had undergone gum graft surgery.

The procedure, commonly used to treat gum recession or thinning gums, requires replacing lost tissue around the teeth and often comes with a lengthy recovery period.

He shared that doctors instructed Ripa not to speak and to avoid solid foods while she healed.

Although she is known for having a high pain tolerance—even skipping numbing medication during routine dental appointments—Consuelos admitted this procedure had been much tougher.

“It’s painful,” he told viewers, adding that if Ripa was hurting, he knew it had to be serious.

A day later, he offered another update, saying she was already feeling better, though she had started talking despite doctors advising her to rest her voice.

Several familiar faces have stepped in to keep the show running during her absence. Last week, Kevin Jonas, Mila Kunis, Pamela Adlon, and Scott Foley all shared hosting duties with Consuelos. This week, Sarah Chalke, Jenna Dewan, the show’s longtime announcer and DJ Déjà Vu, Carrie Coon, and Michelle Buteau have continued the rotation.

Ripa’s podcast, Let’s Talk Off Camera, has also shifted to pre-recorded and re-released episodes while she recovers. The newest installment features a conversation with former First Lady Jill Biden.

The television personality rarely misses extended time away from Live outside of the show’s regular vacation breaks. Since becoming the program’s permanent co-host in February 2001, Ripa has become the longest-serving female host in the history of the franchise.