ROBERT SIEGEL, Host:
Finally, this hour, news about one of the giants of daytime television.
MELISSA BLOCK, Host:
Regis Philbin is retiring.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LIVE! WITH REGIS & KELLY")
REGIS PHILBIN: Unidentified Group: Oh.
BLOCK: Regis Philbin has been co-hosting "LIVE! with Regis & Kelly" and before that "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" for 28 years. And, sure, he's interviewed celebrities, but he's done much more than that.
SIEGEL: He has milked goats, jumped out of an airplane dressed as Elvis, tirelessly cheered his Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and harassed his executive producer Michael Gelman over and over and over again.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LIVE! WITH REGIS & KELLY")
PHILBIN: You have been sitting on that little stool.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
PHILBIN: The way I see it, about 25 years...
MICHAEL GELMAN: Yeah.
PHILBIN: ...doing nothing.
GELMAN: Right.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
GELMAN: You know, Regis, you really held me back.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
BLOCK: And Regis has dominated more than just the morning. He was the original host for the American version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" which means it was Regis who built that famous suspense with this catchphrase.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?")
PHILBIN: Is that your final answer?
SIEGEL: As for why Regis is leaving Kelly and the show, he simply said this.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LIVE! WITH REGIS & KELLY")
PHILBIN: You know, everything must come to an end for certain people on camera, especially certain old people.
(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)
BLOCK: Regis Philbin, age 79, says he will leave some time later this year.