Inside Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ Tropical Getaway Before 1st ‘Live’ Episode: Photos

usmagazine.com:

Partners in life — and in work! Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos soaked up some quality time together before officially beginning their cohosting duties on Live.“We really wanted to get away, be with each other and connect before the show,” Ripa, 52, exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “We had been working together at home, but getting away and connecting was important to us.”The couple, who have been married since 1996, jetted off to the private island of Mustique in the Caribbean for some last-minute — and much-needed — relaxation. “Just knowing we were about to do something new made us really appreciate every moment,” Consuelos, also 52, tells Us, adding that he enjoyed the duo’s “intimate dinners” and the opportunities for “exploring new beaches.”According to the Riverdale actor, the pair “had a nice balance” and tried not to spend the entire vacation talking shop before kicking off Live With Kelly and Mark.In order to view the video, please allow Manage CookiesRipa has been a mainstay on the ABC daytime series for more than 20 years.

While Consuelos has made many guest appearances on the show, he began his permanent tenure as cohost on Monday, April 17, following Ryan Seacrest‘s departure. (Us confirmed in February that the American Idol host, 48, would be leaving Live after nearly six years.

His final episode aired Friday, April 14.)Sharing the screen isn’t a new experience for Ripa and Consuelos, who met while costarring on All My Children in the ’90s. “We absolutely love every time since the beginning we get to work together,” the Live Wire author tells Us. “We have this shorthand [communication] and always know what the other is thinking.”The Spain native, meanwhile, is excited to learn from one of