Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford are getting back together – again. Philbin, the veteran talk-show host, has been named a contributor to the fourth hour of “Today,” a looser affair than the program’s better-watched first two hours that is hosted by Gifford and Hoda Kotb.
The announcement seems to formalize an arrangement that has been in place for some time. Philbin, who co-hosted “Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee” with Gifford for 15 years, has popped up on the fourth hour of “Today” several times in recent months, most notably in a musical involving all the anchors of the NBC morning franchise that was written by Gifford.
Philbin served as host of “Live!” for nearly three decades, and received 24 Daytime Emmy nominations, with six wins and a Lifetime Achievement Award. Among other career highlights, Philbin has written two memoirs, broke the Guinness World Record for Most Hours on Camera, and hosted ABC’s “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” one of the highest rated primetime game shows in history.
Philbin’s “energy is infectious, and when Regis is around, you never know what will happen,” said Tammy Filler, co-executive producer of “Today,” in a statement.
