Shocking Confession: Kelly Ripa Reveals She ‘Quit Drinking,' Ryan Seacrest Takes Credit

Kelly Ripa has gone cold turkey from her drinking habit — and co-host Ryan Seacrest is taking credit for it!

The daytime talk show host, 49, dropped the bombshell information during a discussion about the “wine problem” in America.

"They are saying Americans bought less wine in the last year," she told co-host Seacrest during the January 20 episode of Live With Kelly & Ryan. "It's the first drop in a quarter of a century. Now, I believe this is because I quit drinking, that I caused this slip. I have influenced the market.

"I'm not saying I've driven people out. I'm saying I stopped buying wine and there's a 25 percent dip,” she joked.

Seacrest, 45, chimed in, taking credit for her lifestyle change. "I started the show and she quit drinking," he said. "What does that tell you? I don't know...It that good or bad?"

Ripa then responded, “Very good, actually. It's amazing."

Readers know Seacrest joined Ripa as co-host of Live in 2017. At the time, RadarOnline.com exclusively reported, the decision to pick Seacrest was “ultimately former ABC president Ben Sherwood’s call,” as he was not Ripa’s first choice.

According to a source, she “preferred someone less well-known,” and “wanted someone that she could boss around, and that isn’t Ryan.” “He’s as big of a star as she is,” the source continued.

Ripa’s preferences resulted in a tension between the two which worsened as Seacrest’s Idol gig made her question his dedication to the show.

“It’s like Kelly has been betrayed all over again. Ryan wasn’t her first choice, but she was convinced by the network that he would bring in a list guests and ratings,” a source previously told RadarOnline.com exclusively. “Now she has found out that it is all about Idol and not really just about her!”

Since then, Ripa and Seacrest have claimed to have a very tight bond and have expressed their joys of working together.

"It feels like Ryan has always been here because he's been such a big part of my life off camera for the past 15 years so it feels like he's always been here in a sense," Ripa once told E! News. "Time really does fly when you're having fun."

A sentiment Seacrest certainly echoes. "I literally get up excited every morning to see her," he told E!, "and the fact that we get to chat and catch up on national television and this is a job, it's a dream."