Kelly Ripa says her absence from Live was about 'respect in the workplace'

Kelly Ripa returned to Live With Kelly and Michael Tuesday, a week after she learned — just minutes before it was publicly announced — that her co-host Michael Strahan was leaving for a full-time role on Good Morning America. While Ripa says her absences Friday and Monday were part of a pre-planned vacation, she said she sat out the show Wednesday and Thursday because of frustrations over how the situation was handled. "What transpired started a conversation about communication and respect in the workplace," she said. "I don't consider this just a workplace. I consider this my second home. We are family."
Ripa says executives at Disney and ABC have since apologized and that she is "thrilled" for Strahan.
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