Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Secretly Broke Up Before Marriage — How a Surprising Twist at the Live Studio Saved Their Love and Changed Everything

In a revelation that’s left fans stunned, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos have admitted they secretly broke up just before tying the knot in 1996. In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, the beloved “Live with Kelly and Mark” co-hosts shared how an unexpected turn at the Live studio reignited their romance and saved their relationship. What seemed like the end became a fresh start, paving the way for one of Hollywood’s most enduring marriages. Their behind-the-scenes story is far more dramatic — and heartwarming — than fans ever imagined.

Don’t miss the full exclusive — uncover the emotional details now!

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos owe a lot to their time on Live — including their marriage!

PEOPLE caught up with the Live with Kelly and Mark co-hosts on the last day the pair filmed the long-running daytime show at 7 Lincoln Square (67th St. and Columbus Ave.), the Upper West Side studio that’s been the show’s base of operations for 37 years.

The talk show is moving downtown to 7 Hudson Square, the Walt Disney Company’s new New York City headquarters. And while there are a lot of upsides to being in the new state-of-the-art space, the couple admits they have a sentimental connection to the location.

Not only did Ripa and Consuelos, both 54, see their kids (Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 22) grow up at Live‘s studios, but the building also helped them during a rough part in their relationship.

Turns out, before they married in 1996, the pair broke up. But days later, they found themselves in the studio — then, filming Live with Regis and Kathie Lee — to appear as surprise guests for an All My Children fan the show was surprising on their Mother’s Day special.

Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa, on ‘All My Children’ in 1996.Ann Limongello/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

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“We had to be here,” Consuelos recalls. “And we both tried to get out of it, but we both ended up being here on this stage.”

Appearing on the show together with Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford helped the pair realize they had made a mistake.

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos film the last episode of ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’ from their Upper West Side studio.LORENZO BEVILAQUA/Disney via Getty

“Obviously, seeing her, it was like, ‘This is the worst decision of my life. I have to be with her forever,’” Consuelos says. “And I asked her to marry me and we flew to Vegas the next day.”

“Isn’t that wild?” Ripa adds. “So we owe a lot to this place. And it’s going to be hard to replicate.”

Kelly Ripa Reveals How She Wooed Husband Mark Consuelos and Got Him to Say ‘I Love You’ First

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos on the March 31, 2025 episode of ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’.LORENZO BEVILAQUA/Disney via Getty

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Ripa joined Live in 2001, and — after Philbin’s exit in 2011 — has hosted alongside Michael Strahan and Ryan Seacrest. After years of guest-hosting, Consuelos was named a permanent co-host in 2023.

Sadly, the show’s move downtown comes a few years after the couple moved uptown to be closer to the former studios.

“We used to have a loft down there that was like, a 7-minute walk away from where the new building is now,” Ripa says. “So we keep questioning ourselves, our life choices. But we’re not moving — they’re going to have to carry me out of that apartment feet-first. So I’ll do the long commute again. I did it the first 15 years on the show, and now I’m ready to do it again.”

Live with Kelly and Mark airs weekdays (check local listings).