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A rocky road to success. Kelly Ripa<\/strong><\/a> is one of the leading daytime television hosts<\/a> \u2014 but getting to that point wasn\u2019t always easy.<\/p>\n The Live Wire<\/em><\/a> author, 52, reflected on the highs and lows of her career in a candid Variety<\/em><\/a> profile published on Tuesday, March 28, as she prepares for another big transition on Live<\/em>: Ryan Seacrest<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s exit. The twosome began cohosting the talk show in 2017, with the American Idol<\/em> personality, 48, announcing his departure<\/a> earlier this year. Ripa\u2019s husband, Mark Consuelos<\/strong><\/a>, will be taking his place.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got to tell you: Even during the tough moments, my wife, she\u2019s a worker,\u201d Consuelos, 51, gushed to the outlet. \u201cI\u2019d like to think that she\u2019s made a lot of sacrifices that have advanced the cause for women.\u201d<\/p>\n Ripa got her start on Live<\/em> in 2001, joining Regis Philbin<\/a> in the wake of Kathie Lee Gifford<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s departure. The pairing was a hit \u2014 but Ripa faced a few challenges<\/a> behind the scenes.<\/p>\n \u201cI was told that I couldn\u2019t have an office,\u201d the former soap opera star told Variety<\/em>. \u201cIt didn\u2019t make a whole lot of sense, especially because there were empty offices that I could have easily occupied.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Ripa, the conversations about whether she could have a designated workspace<\/a> lasted several years. The network allowed her to take over an empty janitor\u2019s closet, allegedly claiming that other offices were being reserved for when executives came to visit the New York studio.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was after my fourth year that they finally cleaned out the closet and put a desk in there for me,\u201d she continued, calling the setup \u201cthe strangest experience\u201d of her career. \u201cAnd so I was working in the janitor\u2019s closet with a desk so that I could have a place to put things.\u201d<\/p>\n When Philbin left Live<\/em> in 2011, Ripa thought she\u2019d finally earned her own office<\/a> \u2014 to no avail. \u201cThey said, \u2018Oh, no, we\u2019re saving that.\u2019 And I said, \u2018Saving it for what?\u2019 And they go, \u2018Well, for when the new guy comes.\u2019 And I looked at them, and I said, \u2018I am the new guy,’\u201d she recalled. \u201cI just moved my things. I forced my way into the office because I couldn\u2019t understand how I would still be in the janitor\u2019s closet and somebody new would come in and get the office.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite being \u201cthe more senior on-air person\u201d on the series following Philbin\u2019s final episode<\/a>, Ripa still felt like she was being treated as \u201cthe new girl.\u201d (Philbin died in July 2020 at age 88.)<\/p>\n Ripa began to notice that exceptions were being made for the show\u2019s male cohosts<\/a> that weren\u2019t given to her. \u201cAll of those offices that were not available to me were suddenly made available, with walls knocked down to make them twice as big,\u201d she claimed. \u201cIt was fascinating for me to watch \u2014 the need to make the new guy comfortable and respected, but I couldn\u2019t use those offices. I had to use the broom closet.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hope & Faith<\/em> alum conceded that she didn\u2019t blame \u201cthe fellas\u201d for not taking a stand<\/a> against the apparent discrepancies. \u201cThe network had a duty and an obligation to keep all things equal,\u201d she noted. \u201c[The guys] were just doing what they had been told, or what they were instructed to do, or what they thought they deserved. Having said that, I go out of my way to protect the people I\u2019m working with at any and all costs, even if it means that I am not as popular.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter<\/a> and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Scroll down for more of Ripa\u2019s most candid confessions<\/a> about her career and future at Live<\/em>:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n