Exclusive: Michael Strahan to Be Named Cohost of 'Live!' Alongside Kelly Ripa

Former NFL star and current Fox Sports personality will assume ABC chair formerly held by Regis Philbin

By Ben Grossman -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/21/2012 3:30:00 PM

ABC is expected to announce in early September that Michael Strahan will take over as the cohost of Live! alongside Kelly Ripa, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

Even when he assumes the new role, Strahan is expected to remain in his role with Fox NFL Sunday, as first reported by Joe Flint in the Los Angeles Times.  The long-running ABC franchise originates weekdays from New York, while Fox's popular NFL studio programming is in Los Angeles.

Strahan, a former defensive star in the NFL, was also the star of a (brief) sitcom for Fox, Brothers.

The ABC morning show has been without a permanent sidekick for Ripa since Philbin left the show in late 2011.  It has used a constant flow of guest hosts -- including Strahan and other finalists for the permanent job, like Seth Meyers -- since then.

An ABC spokesperson declined to comment for this story.

With additional reporting by Paige Albiniak