The legendary talk show host Regis Philbin tragically passed away on Saturday at the age of 88. Now, his former cohost Kelly Ripa is speaking out to pay tribute to him.

“We are beyond saddened to learn about the loss of Regis Philbin. He was the ultimate class act, bringing his laughter and joy into our homes every day on ‘Live’ for more than 23 years. We were beyond lucky to have him as a mentor in our careers and aspire every day to fill his shoes on the show,” Ripa and her current cohost Ryan Seacrest said in a statement obtained by Fox News. “We send our deepest love and condolences to his family and hope they can find some comfort in knowing he left the world a better place.”

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Ripa cohosted the talk show “Live! With Regis and Kelly” alongside Philbin from 2001 until he retired in 2011. In 2017, Philbin admitted that he had not kept in touch with Ripa since he left their show, saying that she was offended by his departure because she thought he left because of her.

Philbin explained that Ripa had nothing to do with him leaving the show, as he instead left because it “wasn’t right for me anymore.” Later on in 2017, Ripa opened up about her working relationship with Philbin, saying that he had a “mandate” that they never speak to one another off-screen.

“Regis had a mandate: Absolutely no talking off-camera,” Ripa said. “He had almost a superstition about it. You save it for the show. I’d be like, ‘Good morning,’ and he’d say, ‘Save it for the air!’”

Philbin’s family revealed in a statement on Saturday that he had died one month before his 89th birthday.

“His family and friends are forever grateful for the time we got to spend with him — for his warmth, his legendary sense of humor, and his singular ability to make every day into something worth talking about,” the statement said. “We thank his fans and admirers for their incredible support over his 60-year career and ask for privacy as we mourn his loss.”

Philbin is survived by his wife Joy and by three daughters.

This piece originally appeared in UpliftingToday.com and is used by permission.

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