Mark Consuelos reveals long-term absence from wife Kelly Ripa in honest confession: ‘Strict protocols’

Mark Consuelos is currently flying solo on Live! while his wife, Kelly Ripa, recovers from surgery, but this isn’t the first time he’s had to cope with her absence.

During the August 7 episode of the ABC show, Mark admitted that during the pandemic he was only able to visit Kelly for 19 days over 10 months. Celebrity guest host  Carrie Coon asked Mark why the couple were apart for so long. He replied that it was because he was “working in Canada” at the time.

“You were in the strict protocols,” said Carrie referring to Canada’s strict guidelines during the COVID-19 lockdowns. “That was a scary time.”

However, when Mark arrived home, it seemed his wife had made some changes to their home. “My side of the bed, she had taken my side of the bed,” he shared. Carrie suggests that  there could be “something sort of sweet” about that. “I didn’t see it that way,” Mark explained. “I said, ‘This is my side of the bed.’ And she said, ‘You don’t live here.'”

Mark eventually gave in to his wife and the pair switched sides of the bed permanently. However, he explained that her move was strategic because the “air conditioner goes over her onto me.” 

© Getty Images for Accessories Cou

Kelly Ripa’s absence from Live!

During the July 27 episode of the show, Mark revealed that his wife would be absent from Live! for a brief period. “Kelly had a little bit — well, it’s not a little — she had a gum graft surgery,” he shared.

© Getty Images

The operation helps reduce teeth sensitivity as well as gum recession by surgically removing healthy gum tissue and placing it on exposed tooth roots. Mark explained: “Her dentist said five years ago, ‘You can do it in about five years,’ and she joked, ‘I didn’t think I’d still be on the air in five years!'”

He shared that Kelly is “doing well” and “doing great,” and she needs to continue following doctor’s orders when it comes to her recovery. Kelly is set to return to the show on September 8.

© Getty Images

Mark – who shares kids Michael, Lola, and Joaquin, with his wife – joined Live! officially in 2023 following Ryan’s departure. Ryan left the show due to the demands of traveling back and forth between his home in Los Angeles and the studio in New York, as well as his desire to focus on other projects.