KELLY Ripa has shared a video message with fans while cuddled up in bed, weeks after undergoing major surgery.
The talk show host has been home recovering from a dental procedure and won’t officially return to the studio until live episodes resume after Labor Day.
Kelly, 55, updated her Instagram followers on Wednesday with a clip of herself lying in bed with her podcast producers, Jan Schillay and Albert Bianchini.
Shared on the official page of her Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, the clip captured Kelly lounging on the bed in blue jeans, a tan sweater, and no shoes or socks.
She wore her blonde hair straight down as she spoke into the microphone at the camera.
“I am so sleepy. I’m extra comfortable today because Jan, Albert, and I are in bed together,” the soap opera alum explained.
“Yes, that’s right, dear listeners. It’s gone there,” she continued as the camera panned around the room to show her Jan and Albert sitting on the opposite end of the bed with their microphones.
“We are in bed together, and we are happy as clams. We are so comfortable. Although Albert’s on my side, so he’s roasting,” Kelly joked.
“We’re celebrating small rituals that signal it’s finally time to unwind,” she then said in a voiceover, as the camera showed the trio all fast asleep on the bed.
“Kelly was so comfortable on her @sleepnumber bed, she almost fell asleep while recording this episode! #sponsored #ad,” the caption explained.
It’s unclear if the ad was filmed before or after the TV star underwent gum graft surgery last month.
Kelly has since been out of work, leaving her Live co-host and husband Mark Consuelos, 55, with a rotation of guest co-hosts for the first couple of weeks.
She teased her return to work on August 5, when she appeared makeup-free for her interview with Dr. Jill Biden in a new video from her podcast.
It’s assumed that the interview was conducted before Kelly’s procedure.
The All My Children alum is expected to be away from Live’s New York City studios until September 8, to kick off the premiere of Season 39.
The show is currently airing pre-taped episodes, including never-before-seen host chat segments and encore celebrity interviews from earlier in the season.
Mark revealed in the July 27th episode that Kelly underwent “painful” gum graft surgery and would be out of commission for the rest of the month.
The procedure involves treating gums or gum recession by replacing lost tissue around the teeth, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Mark shared that Kelly received a list of after-care restrictions from her doctor, which includes not talking or eating solid foods.
He also admitted that the actress – who has rarely taken a break from the show since she became a permanent co-host in February 2001 – was really hurting, despite usually tolerating pain well.
The host gave another update on his wife’s condition the following day, saying she was “feeling better” and already “saying certain things” against doctors’ orders to refrain from speaking.
