Kelly Ripa Honors Legendary Host Phil Donahue as a Great Friend

The passing of television icon Phil Donahue has sparked an outpouring of tributes from those who admired him both as a pioneering host and a dear friend. One notable homage came from Kelly Ripa, who took to social media to share her thoughts on Donahue’s exceptional character and friendship.

Donahue is best remembered for The Phil Donahue Show, a groundbreaking program that introduced an unprecedented level of audience participation. His popularity surged when he married fellow TV legend Marlo Thomas, whom he had first met on his show. Kelly Ripa knows a similar story, having met her husband, Mark Consuelos, while working on All My Children. Despite the ups and downs in their respective careers, Ripa never forgot the steadfast friendship she shared with Donahue.

Donahue’s influence reshaped the television landscape, making it more inclusive by encouraging people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to engage in open discussions. His work even extended to collaborating with Soviet journalists during the Cold War, fostering dialogue between the two sides. Yet, those who knew him personally appreciated his reliability as a friend, a quality that Ripa highlighted in her emotional tribute.

Following the news of Donahue’s death, Ripa posted a touching photo of both TV couples—Ripa with Marlo Thomas, and Donahue with Mark Consuelos—all sharing radiant smiles.

“Good friends are hard to come by and even harder to lose,” Ripa lamented in her caption. “To a life well lived. We love you Marlo and will miss Phil eternally. #ripphildonahue.”

Besides Ripa, numerous other influential figures have also expressed their sorrow and shared their memories. Oprah Winfrey, Ricki Lake, Andy Cohen, and Montel Williams are just a few of the personalities who have commemorated Donahue’s extraordinary life.

One of the most poignant tributes came from Marlo Thomas, who was married to Donahue for 44 years. Their relationship began with “instant chemistry” during her guest appearance on his show. At the time, Thomas wasn’t interested in a relationship and even told Donahue that the woman in his life was very fortunate.

That woman became Thomas on May 21, 1980.

Marlo remembered Donahue as “a man who spent his career loving his audiences.” She frequently shared snippets from their family life on social media, which were warmly received by the couple’s devoted fans. Each shared moment was a testament to Donahue’s genuine enthusiasm for connecting with people, a quality Marlo assured her followers that he cherished greatly.