Regis Philbin leaves Morning TV

After 28 years of co-hosting “Live! With Regis and Kelly,” Regis Philbin, 80, said goodbye to morning television for the last time Friday morning .

On his final episode of the long-running morning television show (aired Friday morning), Philbin blew a kiss to his audience.  “I’ll always remember spending the mornings with all of you,” he said.

It was a teary-eyed goodbye for many fans and friends of the veteran show-biz personality.  Among these, co-host Kelly Ripa, who fought back tears as she recalled how terrified she was on her first day and how Philbin had put her at ease.

“You always want to make me feel like a million bucks,” she said.

The week’s shows have been dedicated to paying tribute to Philbin.  David Letterman and Vice President Joe Biden stopped by earlier in the week, and the final episode was stacked with other celebrities who came to pay their respects, including Katie Couric, Donald Trump, and ex-co-host Kathie Lee Gifford.

“I wanted this to be a show where people would feel better about themselves, to look at life in a different way, a funnier way,” Philbin said.

Rest assured, Philbin insists he is not retiring, and his immediate plans include a tour to promote his new book, “How I Got This Way.”

“Where’s Regis going?” he said.  “Regis doesn’t know. Stop asking me!”

No doubt the show will undergo some changes without its iconic host.  It has been confirmed that the show will continue with Ripa as they try out potential candidates for the new co-host position.

Philbin currently holds the Guiness Book of World Records for the most time logged on the air by a television personality.

Images by djnaquin67 and goodrob13 via Flickr.