Kathie Lee Gifford's Heartbreaking Birthday Tribute To Regis Philbin
With a 15-year run as co-hosts of what was then known as "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" (now titled "Live with Kelly and Ryan") Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford became one of the most beloved duos in TV history. The duo entertained America morning after morning on the ABC show and formed a close friendship in that time, one neither made a secret of. "Kathie Lee, you want to know the best part of my life? My TV life? Was in the 15 years I spent with you," Philbin gushed in a sweet leaving message for Gifford in 2019 as she departed "Today" . "We stayed friends throughout the entire game and it was a lot of fun," he added.
It was no surprise then that Gifford was heartbroken by Philbin's sad death in July 2020. The star took to Instagram to pay a touching tribute to her late longtime friend, sharing a snap of herself and the beloved former "America's Got Talent" host alongside a poignant caption that read, "There are no words to fully express the love I have for my precious friend, Regis. I simply adored him and every day with him was a gift." Gifford also sent her love to Philbin's family, signing off her post, "There has never been anyone like him. And there never will be."
Now, Gifford is honoring her late friend on social media once again with a sweet message for what would have been his 91st birthday.
Kathie Lee Gifford misses Regis Philbin every day
Gone, but never forgotten. Kathie Lee Gifford proved her later former co-star Regis Philbin is still very much on her mind two years after his death, taking to Instagram to share a birthday post for the former "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" host. "I miss Regis every day. But this is a particularly difficult day as we remember this amazing man who would have been 91," she captioned a black and white snap of the two, adding, "Sending love to [Philbin's wife] Joy and the rest of their family as they celebrate an extraordinary man and life." Plenty of fans fondly remembered the late star in the comments section, including one who wrote, "Miss both of you together. There isn't another talk show that can compare to yours. You both were the best."
Philbin's family announced his death in a statement issued to People, sharing the 88-year-old died of natural causes. A coroner later confirmed Philbin had experienced myocardial infarction caused by his coronary artery disease, per Entertainment Tonight.
Tributes poured in for Philbin at the time of his death, including from Kelly Ripa — who sat alongside him on "Live" for several years in the wake of Gifford's departure — and Ryan Seacrest, who now hosts the show alongside Ripa. "We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire everyday to fill his shoes on the show," they said in a joint Twitter statement.