Regis Philbin set to retire from 'Live With Regis and Kelly'

Daytime television icon Regis Philbinshocked his morning audience when he announced his plans to retire at the end of the season from “Live With Regis and Kelly.”

“It’s been a long time,” the talk show host said when commenting on his long and successful career. “It’s been 28 years and it was the biggest thrill of my life to come back to New York, where I grew up as a kid watching TV in the early days, you know—never even dreaming that I would one day have the ability, or whatever it takes, to get in front of the camera and talk to it.”

Philbin first came on the air with his “Live” talk show with former host Kathie Lee Gifford in 1988 and has been hosting with Kelly Ripa on “Live With Regis and Kelly” since 2001.

“There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera—especially certain old people!” said Regis.

There’s no official word on Regis’ last day or who could possibly replace him on the talk show with Kelly.