‘Live With Kelly and Mark’ Reveals Big Change as Show Returns for Season 39

Live With Kelly and Mark introduced some fun new changes during the show’s Season 39 premiere.

The morning talk show returned with new episodes on Tuesday, September 8. Live aired prerecorded episodes since early August as Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, and the show’s crew enjoyed their annual summer break. The episodes featured new conversations between the co-hosts, along with old and new segments with celebrities and other guests.

Tuesday’s episode not only marked the Season 39 premiere, but also Ripa and Consuelos’s 26th and 4th seasons on the show, respectively. “This is like the last year of my presidential term,” Consuelos quipped, while Ripa added, “Yes! Now you’re getting the hang of it.”

Ripa joined Live as Regis Philbin‘s cohost in 2001. After Philbin’s exit in 2011, Ripa led the show with cohosts Michael Strahan and Ryan Seacrest before Consuelos took over in 2023. On the show, Consuelos competes against fans in a segment called “Stump Mark,” during which he tries to guess which of a caller’s two statements is true and which is false.

“You know, Mark is a man who’s done it all. He’s a host, he’s a husband, a father, an athlete, an actor, a problem-solver, and a perfectionist. That’s what gives him an edge when he tries to keep those coveted mugs and T-shirts,” Ripa joked while introducing Tuesday’s “Stump Mark” game. “Guess what, everyone? He’s rested, he’s recharged, he’s ready for an all-new season.”

ABC

The show debuted a brand-new “Stump Mark” intro featuring what looked like an AI-generated Consuelos as a secret agent, scientist, mathematician, soccer player, crime scene investigator, and more.

Related

Kelly Ripa Reacts to Daughter Lola's Cryptic Comment About Boyfriend

“We have a new twist,” Consuelos revealed. “I’ve been the one reading our callers’ statements. But now, the pressure is on our callers, who will now reveal their two statements to me. I’ll be listening very carefully for crackle in their voice, a suspicious pause, a nervous laugh. And if they stump me, they will win the all-new ‘I Stumped Mark’ T-shirt and mug.”

Consuelos ultimately got stumped by the day’s caller, Timothy. “Congratulations. You won the mug and the T-shirt. Now, let’s see if we can win you a valuable prize,” he said. “We’ll also be starting a brand-new trivia game today. It’s time for ‘Dance Party Travel Trivia!’”

The daily “Travel Trivia” segment sees the same “Stump Mark” caller answer a question about recent events on the show in hopes of winning a prize. On Tuesday, an enthusiastic audience member dressed in homemade Live merch danced in the studio alongside the new “Travel Trivia” graphics, which featured a plethora of disco balls.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ripa and Consuelos opened up about how they spent their time off. “We did have a nice break, though. It was really nice,” Consuelos stated. Ripa added, “We did. It was so nice. We got to see all three of our kids for four days, together. It was amazing. Not a single fight erupted. Four days is the sweet spot. Four days is what you want.” (The couple shares kids Michael, Lola, and Joaquin.)

Live With Kelly and Mark, Weekdays, Check Local Listings