Regis Philbin Reveals He's Leaving Live Over Contract Issues

Less than a month before his last day on Live with Regis and Kelly, host Regis Philbin is now saying he hadn't planned on leaving so soon.

"The contractual issue just never worked out, but I was going to leave before that anyway," Philbin said on Detroit's "Mojo in the Morning" radio show Friday.

Philbin, who has co-hosted the daytime talk show for more than 28 years, expressed that ABC was making a mistake in letting him go. "Of course it's a big mistake, but Regis is moving on," he said.

Regis Philbin leaving Live with Regis and Kelly

In January, Philbin announced his exit. "There is a time that everything must come to an end for certain people on camera," he said then, joking, "especially certain old people." His last day will be November 18.

His replacement has not been named yet, but Ryan Seacrest, Andy Cohen and Mark Consuelos — Kelly Ripa's husband — are reportedly the top three candidates.