Kelly Ripa will be missing from her morning talk show for an entire week as she recovers from surgery.
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Her husband and co-host Mark Consuelos explained her absence on the July 27 show with guest co-host Kevin Jonas, PEOPLE reported.
“Kelly sends her love,” Consuelos said during the morning intros. “Kelly had a little bit — well, it’s not a little — she had a gum graft surgery.”
As a result of her surgery, Ripa is under strict orders from doctors to not talk. Not an easy thing to do when you host a morning talk show!
According to her husband, the surgery was years in the making.
“Her dentist said five years ago, ‘You can do it in about five years,’” he said. “And she joked, ‘I didn’t think I’d still be on the air in five years!’”
Consuelos said that his wife is “doing well,” and “doing great.” But she does have a long list of things she needs to successfully recover. He says that the biggest one is staying quiet.
“Wow. That’s got to be the hardest thing she’s ever done,” Jonas quipped.
Consuelos also laughed, calling his wife “such a great conversationalist.” He said it’s his job to make sure Ripa listens and does what she’s been told by the dentist. “I’m trying to keep her to follow the rules, follow the directions,” he said.
In addition to eating soft foods and not using straws, Ripa should avoid checking the surgical site. However, she simply can’t resist the urge.
“Last night she was like, ‘Can you look?’ I’m like, ‘I’m not pulling your lip down,’” Consuelos said, demonstrating the way Ripa tilted her head to allow him to check without touching her lip. “So I’m down there like, ‘It looks great!’”
Naturally, Jonas wondered if the surgery was painful.
“Yeah, it’s painful,” Consuelos said. “But she famously doesn’t feel pain. When she goes into the dentist, she doesn’t use the novocaine. But this one hurts, so I know it’s bad.”
Kelly Ripa should be returning to the co-host’s chair on August 3 after guest hosts including Mila Kunis, Pamela Adlon and Scott Foley take over while she heals.