Anderson Cooper, Kelly Ripa's Dream Co-Host

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By Emma Koonse , Christian Post Reporter
August 21, 2012|11:46 am

Rumors that Anderson Cooper will be the permanent replacement for Regis Philbin on "Live! With Kelly" has flown across the internet this week ahead of the official announcement by the show's host, Kelly Ripa.

The CNN star already has his own show, "Anderson Cooper 360," but there is a chance the celebrity newsman could serve alongside Ripa on ABC's daytime show.

Ripa, 41, has tried out several famous and funny men as her co-anchor ever since Philbin, 80, left "Live! With Kelly" in November last year.

Temporary replacements have included Nick Lachey, Josh Groban, Jerry O'Connell, Seth Meyers, and Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, but the bubbly blonde host admitted her ideal anchorman: Cooper.

"We have a connection like nobody else," Ripa revealed earlier this month, according to Us Weekly. "I worship him!"

Cooper, 45, has several other commitments in addition to his syndicated television show on CNN, so Ripa added, "the search continues," Us Weekly reported.

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"It's fun [to see different co-hosts], but you want the girl to settle down," quipped Ripa of finding a permanent replacement.

ABC and Ripa will announce her official co-host on "Live!" on Sept. 4. Until then, rumors will surely continue to rise over who the lucky co-anchor will be.

Cooper recently sat down with superstar Beyonce on "AC 360" and has tackled hard-hitting news issues for several years over the course of his career, making him an ideal candidate for "Live!" Regardless, fans of both Ripa and Anderson will have to wait for the reveal next month.

Meanwhile, one co-host has been officially ruled out as a permanent replacement on "Live!"- Ripa's husband, Consuelos.

"No one would make me happier than Mark, but he values our marriage and he says that he doesn't see how we could stay married and both do that show," said Ripa of her husband earlier this year, according to Vanity Fair.

Despite their onscreen chemistry, Consuelos will not assume the co-host position beside his wife. Ripa and Consuelos wed in 1996 and share three children together, but both take independence in their relationship very seriously.

"I don't give him a hard time about seeing his friends, or for doing things independently, like taking a weekend biking trip with his racing friends," explained Ripa to Good Housekeeping in March.

"He doesn't need to take me everywhere or do everything with me," she added. "I'm very much about us having our own separate time."

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