Atlanta native to join Kelly Ripa on ‘Live’

Kelly Ripa announced her permanent new co-host on Monday.

After a year of fill-in sidekicks on the popular morning talk show, 1993 Dunwoody High grad Ryan Seacrest is the new co-host.

After a year of hosting the popular morning talk show “Live” with a variety of temporary sidekicks, Kelly Ripa on Monday announced her permanent new co-host: metro Atlanta native and entertainment industry titan Ryan Seacrest.

“I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve to be here,” Seacrest demurred after being introduced as Ripa’s official partner in daytime. As the show wound down, Seacrest popped a cork and the two shared a toast.

“This is going to be the most fun I’ve ever had,” he said.

“Live” airs at 9 a.m. weekdays on Channel 2.

Seacrest is a 1993 Dunwoody High School graduate who began his media career at Atlanta’s Star 94 while he was still in high school. He parlayed that early opportunity into a series of radio and TV jobs in Los Angeles, eventually landing high-profile gigs like hosting “American Idol” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest.”

Seacrest‘s affinity for the spotlight goes back to his elementary school days, when he’d make mix tapes with Radio Shack equipment.

“Instead of playing with G.I. Joes or cowboys and Indians, he’d always have a little microphone and do shows in the house,” his mom, Connie Seacrest, told the AJC in a past interview. She still lives locally and on Monday morning was thrilled to be able to discuss what had been top-secret news.

“I’m excited to have him on my side of the world,” she said. “My phone is blowing up right now!”

At 16, Seacrest wrangled a gig with Star 94 after persistent calls to then-nighttime disc jockey Tom Sullivan. He gave Seacrest a tour of the studios and let him hang out there, and Seacrest eventually made his way behind the mic.

Sullivan was impressed with Seacrest’s smarts and enthusiasm back in the day and likes the pairing with Ripa.

“I think it’s a win-win for both of them,” he said Monday. “It brings him back to the daily spotlight,

and she needed somebody who could elevate her.”

Seacrest and Ripa made a triumphant entrance during Monday’s show, walking hand in hand onto the stage to the delight of a giddy audience. Then they glided right into co-host banter, discussing Ripa’s recent stomach bug, displaying a product meant to help people spot early signs of possible skin cancer and launching a “Spring Travel Trivia” segment complete with confetti and music.

They welcomed Chris Pratt, star of Atlanta-filmed “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” as their first guest. The movie, one of many Marvel projects to be headquartered at the Pinewood Studios facility in Fayette County, is out Friday. Kurt Russell, who plays the father of Pratt’s character in “Guardians,” is scheduled to appear on today’s show.

Ripa’s been paired with a steady stream of temporary sidekicks, including Andy Cohen, Jimmy Kimmel and Christian Slater, since former morning partner Michael Strahan exited about a year ago to focus on “Good Morning America.” She initially stayed away for several days, reportedly furious over how the announcement regarding Strahan was handled.

But the two patched things up, and his farewell show was full of love and laughs. Ripa shared a video montage of highlights from his time on the show — including when they visited the White House, the salute to Strahan’s Hall of Fame induction and a slew of on-location stunts.

“The past few years, we’ve had a lot of fun,” Ripa said. “We’ve made a lot of memories. We even learned a thing or two.”

DISNEY-ABC HOME ENTERTAINMENT AND TV DISTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTED BY PAWEL KAMINSKI, A new era in daytime television began Monday when Kelly Ripa introduced Ryan Seacrest as the permanent co-host joining her on “Live.”