Michael Strahan Will Leave Live! 4 Months Earlier Than Expected

Michael Strahan’s last day as co-host of Live! will be May 13, four months earlier than expected, according to People.

The former NFL star’s planned departure came as a surprise when it was announced last week, most of all to co-host Kelly Ripa, who said she felt “blindsided” by the news. Ripa returned to the show Tuesday morning after a vacation with her family and time to gather her thoughts. She addressed the audience, alone in the frame for several minutes, talking about respect in such a way that made it clear that she felt she hadn’t been afforded much.

But the drama continued Tuesday afternoon as a source told People that Strahan planned to take the summer off before starting his new full-time gig at Good Morning America. Strahan was reportedly open to staying on the show until the fall, but the network insisted that an earlier departure allows for more time to work on finding a replacement. Despite reports to the contrary, the parting of ways between Ripa and Strahan is described as “amicable.”