Michael Strahan Joins Kelly Ripa as New Co-Host on 'Live! With Kelly and Michael'; How Content People Are with Strahan in the Show (POLL)

After searching long and hard Kelly Ripa has finally found a permanent new co-host on ABC's "Live! with Kelly!" in Michael Strahan. Ex-football star Strahan joined Ripa today for the first episode of "Live! With Kelly and Michael."

Strahan, who also co-hosts "Fox NFL Sunday" is replacing long-time Live! star Regis Philbin who hosted the show for the past twenty-eight years before retiring in November 2011.

"We finally have our new guy. That's right, I said guy," Ripa announced on the show Tuesday as she introduced Strahan to the audience. "It's an exciting morning."

ABC, along with Ripa, has been on the search for a suitable replacement for Philbin for the past ten months. Since Philbin's departure Ripa has had a total of fifty-nine co-hosts, with some of them being seriously considered for the replacement position and others just joining the show for a one-day cameo. Among these hosts were Neil Patrick Harris, Jerry Seinfeld, Seth Meyers, Josh Groban and Nick Lachey.

On Tuesday's premiere of "Live! With Kelly and Michael," Strahan presented Ripa with a dozen red roses and lifted her off her feet with a huge bear hug.

"It's so nice to have a co-host literally sweep you off your feet," Ripa said. "And I know that he can bench press me."

Since retiring from football after the Giants superbowl win in 2008, Strahan has taken to the TV screen with a number of projects. Aside from co-hosting "Fox NFL Sunday," he has been featured in several commercials and starred in the Fox TV show "Brothers" in 2009.

"As a guest co-host, Michael's chemistry with Kelly was off the charts, and continued to grow each time he visited the show," Michael Gelman, executive producer of Live! with Kelly and Michael told ABC News. "The interaction between the co-hosts has always been what makes this show different from any other show on television. Kelly and Michael's ability to play off of one another and just plain have a good time together creates great TV for the audience."