Kelly Ripa began Friday's episode of Live with Kelly and Mark on a bittersweet note, as she told the live audience that it was a "devastating day" for the show, as it was the day long-running ABC executive producer Art Moore, 77, was retiring.
Addressing the audience, she said: "It's a day for celebration, a day for joy, and personally for us on the studio floor, a devastating day. It is a day we are celebrating Art Moore's retirement.
"The special episode was dedicate to Art, including montages featuring his funniest moments on the show, along with a heartfelt speech from Kelly at the very end of the show.
She raised a glass of sparkling cider to her beloved colleague, and said: "I don't know where to begin but I will say, this is not us saying goodbye to you. We will never say goodbye to you, as you know.
"You have been the singular most important person to every single person here. As evidenced by the amount of people that you work with each and every day who love, honor and cherish you and everything you have given to us. You are a giver and we honor you and shower you with our gratitude and love, eternally."
She then went to embrace Art, telling him: "I love you," while Mark, announcer Deja Vu and producer Michael Gelman all raised their glasses to him.
Art has been working for ABC for over five years, and been with Live since 1989. He has featured on the show many times and is known for his great humor.
His retirement was announced back in May. At the time of announcing Art's decision to retire, Kelly pointed out that he had decided to tell everyone the news on Kelly and Mark's wedding anniversary.
She said: "He's chosen today, yes today, our wedding anniversary, today, of all days, to announce that…the time has come." She jokingly added: "That is why we chose May 1st to get married, we knew it was Art Moore's anniversary date.
© Instagram"Kelly then got sincere, and said: "Art is the reason that I am here and I have stayed here all these years. You are so, so important to me personally, to our family. You are one in a gazillion, you mean so much to all of us here. You're the most special, devoted, loyal, extraordinary person I've ever met in my life."
As Art struggled to fight back his emotions, she continued: "I lack the vocabulary to properly tell you what you mean to me and to all of us here. We love and adore you, and I will spend the next several months of my life talking you out of this."
She continued: "I'm convinced that over the next several months, I will be able to talk Art out of retirement, because I am nothing if not relentless, as you know."
Art had a leaving party on September 19 and is adored by all who have worked with him.In a statement to Variety, Debra O'Connell, the President of News Groups and Networks at Disney Entertainment, shared: "Art Moore is simply the best of the best."
"His creativity, ability to handle any production challenge and keen sense of what the audience wants is unparalleled in daytime television, and can only be rivaled by his huge heart, the guiding hand he lends to any colleague at any time, and the sheer joy he brings to the job."
"Words don't adequately express how much he is appreciated and will be missed – not just across the company but with viewers who have come to love him as much as we do."
