Kelly Ripa Reveals She Quit Drinking Alcohol After Ryan Seacrest Became ‘Live!’ Cohost in 2017

During the Monday, January 21, episode of Live! With Kelly & Ryan, Kelly Ripa revealed she quit drinking alcohol. The beloved TV host’s confession completely took fans off guard as she announced she hasn’t drank a sip of liquor in years.

“They’re saying that Americans bought less wine last year. It’s the first drop in a quarter of a century,” Kelly, 49, explained to viewers during the show’s most recent episode. “Now, I believe this is because I quit drinking, that I caused this dip. I have influenced the market.”

She jokingly added, “I’m not saying I’ve driven people [out of drinking alcohol], I’m saying I stopped buying wine and there’s a … dip.”

Although Kelly didn’t provide fans with an explanation as to why she necessarily chose to quit drinking, she seemingly hinted cohost Ryan Seacrest had a little something to do with it. As she continued to explain her reasoning, the Hope & Faith alum stated she quit drinking around the time Ryan, 45, replaced Michael Strahan as cohost back in 2017.

“I started the show and she quit drinking. What does that tell you?” the American Idol judge joked. “Exactly … It’s amazing,” Kelly sweetly agreed.

For the last few decades Kelly has been in Hollywood, she’s always maintained a near-perfect figure. Despite boasting a thin and enviable physique, the All My Children alum — who is the proud mom of kids Michael, 22, Lola, 18, and Joaquin, 16, with longtime husband Mark Consuelos — once admitted she doesn’t restrict herself from any indulgences.

“Here’s the thing,” she said during an interview with Bon Appétit in January 2019. “These are things at 38 I never would have tainted myself with. But at 48, I’m sort of saying, ‘Who cares? Life is short. Eat the peanut butter and jelly.'”

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In fact, Kelly revealed she and her Riverdale actor hubby  — who tied the knot in 1998 — eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches more often than fans might think.

“Mark and I used to have peanut butter and jelly as a bedtime snack. I’m not sure why. Even as a kid, I didn’t really like it, but now here I am,” she explained at the time. “I get ciabatta bread, and now I eat half a sandwich before bed, with chunky Skippy peanut butter or Justin’s honey peanut butter and Bonne Maman strawberry or raspberry jam.”

You go, girl!