Kelly Ripa and David Muir have built one of ABC’s most surprising friendships, and their bond has only grown more visible over the years. What started with Ripa’s obvious fan-girl moment turned into a close personal connection that includes family visits, birthday posts, and public praise.
The pair have spent enough time together to develop a familiar rhythm on and off camera. Muir is a regular guest in Ripa’s family life, while Ripa has made it clear that she sees him as more than just a colleague.
How their friendship began
Ripa has said she first reached out after seeing Muir file a report for World News Tonight. She admitted on Live with Kelly and Ryan that she sent him a message through ABC’s internal email system, writing, “Dude. You looked amazing tonight.”
She also said she did not even know what the report was about because she had turned the volume down, only noticing that he appeared to be reporting from a dangerous area. That message appears to have helped launch a long-running friendship that became personal as well as professional.
| Friendship Moment | What Happened | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|
| First outreach | Ripa emailed Muir after seeing him on TV | She told him, “You looked amazing tonight.” |
| Summer time together | Muir spent downtime with Ripa and her family | He was praised as a grill master |
| Book support | Muir backed Ripa’s memoir release | He said, “Look for me in line” |
| Award recognition | Ripa presented Muir with the Voice Award | She called him a megaphone for the forgotten |
Family visits and summer routines
The friendship deepened into regular shared downtime, especially in summer. Muir has described spending time by the pool with Ripa’s family, and Ripa has praised his cheeseburgers while saying her youngest son, Joaquin, would choose his cooking over any restaurant.
He also appears to be a familiar presence at the couple’s Upper East Side home, where Mark Consuelos and Ripa reportedly make him repeat his “World News Tonight” catchphrase before dinner. The routine suggests the friendship has become fully woven into the family’s everyday life.
Why Ripa says he matters to her kids
Ripa has said Muir has had a positive influence on her children, especially Joaquin. During one family pool conversation, Muir noticed Joaquin quietly listening before joining in with opinions of his own, and Ripa later said she felt lucky to have him in her circle.
She has also said Muir’s presence has helped shape all three of her children, including Michael and Lola. “You have been a tremendous influence on all my kids,” she told him, according to www.nickiswift.com.
A friendship built on public support
Ripa’s 2023 book Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories gave Muir another chance to show his support. He commented on her Instagram post about the book tour and later took her out to dinner, then tagged her in an Instagram story.
Ripa returned the compliment in the book’s acknowledgements, writing, “To David Muir, you are the backbone and moral compass I need sometimes.” That line captures how openly she has credited him with steadying influence in her life.
Birthday posts and big award moments
The two have also made a habit of celebrating each other online. When Ripa posted birthday photos for Muir’s 49th birthday, he replied that he wanted to be in those places again, and he later marked her 55th birthday with a smiling photo and a message about how lucky everyone is to know her.
One of their most public moments came in 2018, when Ripa presented Muir with the Voice Award at the 6th Annual Save the Children Illumination Gala. She praised his work on issues such as famine and drought in Somaliland, while Muir returned the respect by calling her “a true humanitarian in her own right.”
What Mark Consuelos seems to think
Consuelos appears comfortable with how close the pair are, at least based on the way Muir is treated like part of the household. Ripa and Consuelos have both included him in family dinners, summer gatherings, and birthday celebrations without making the friendship feel like a source of tension.
That dynamic became even clearer when Ripa joked in 2025 about having “indecent photos” in front of a giant image of Muir at ABC’s new New York headquarters. Between the jokes and the public admiration, the long friendship still seems to run smoothly inside and outside the studio.