Kelly Ripa’s Emotional 9/11 Reaction Resurfaces 25 Years Later

As the 25th anniversary of September 11 approaches, viewers are looking back at one of the most emotional moments from Kelly Ripa’s early years on Live With Regis and Kelly.

Ripa was still relatively new to the daytime show when the attacks unfolded on live television on September 11, 2001. Just months after replacing Kathie Lee Gifford as Regis Philbin’s co-host, she and Philbin suddenly found themselves breaking devastating news to their studio audience.

A Morning Show Suddenly Turned Into Breaking News

At the beginning of that broadcast, the hosts were still treating the morning like any other episode. Philbin was talking with Ripa about her children and their school routines when reports emerged that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.

As live images from New York appeared on screen, Ripa struggled to process what she was seeing.

“This is the worst thing I think I’ve ever seen in my life,” she said.

Philbin initially tried to maintain the rhythm of the morning program while promising viewers that they would continue providing updates. But the atmosphere changed dramatically when executive producer Michael Gelman informed them that another plane had struck the South Tower.

Ripa covered her mouth in shock. Philbin, realizing the implications, responded, “That sounds deliberate to me.”

The hosts soon abandoned their usual format. Philbin suggested taking a commercial break to regroup and clarify what was happening, while Ripa slowly rose from her seat, visibly shaken.

When the program returned, footage of the Twin Towers remained at the center of the broadcast. Ripa described the unfolding events as potentially the worst tragedy ever to strike New York City, while Philbin acknowledged how difficult it was to continue their normal morning show under such circumstances.

The episode was eventually overtaken by news coverage of the attacks.

Viewers Revisit Ripa’s Response

Ahead of the anniversary, viewers on Reddit revisited the broadcast and praised Ripa for the way she responded to the rapidly unfolding crisis.

One viewer noted that Ripa was still new to the program but appeared to understand the seriousness of the situation as it developed. Another recalled how the mood changed from believing the first crash might have been an accident to recognizing something far more devastating after the second plane hit live on television.

The footage has since become a striking example of the moment when a familiar entertainment program was suddenly confronted with an unfolding national tragedy.

Ripa Still Remembers That Day

Ripa reflected on the experience during the September 11, 2025, episode of Live With Kelly and Mark.

Speaking to her husband and co-host Mark Consuelos and the studio audience, she recalled that she had been working at the show that morning and that it was also her son Michael’s first day of nursery school.

She said her thoughts remained with those who were lost and with the Twin Towers, adding that she still feels “wistful” when she sees the buildings appear in older movies and television shows.

Twenty-five years later, those early live images continue to offer a deeply personal reminder of how suddenly an ordinary morning changed — including for Ripa, who was on camera as history unfolded.