Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Discuss 27 Years of Marriage and Detail Their First Kiss (Exclusive)

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are couple goals. 

The power pair and co-hosts interviewed each other for ET's Spilling the ETea, where they reflected on their enduring 27-year marriage, and revealed intriguing details about their early days together, including their first kiss, career aspirations, and even some behind-the-scenes secrets.

The couple, known for their lively banter and unwavering chemistry, shared their thoughts on various aspects of their life together, giving fans a glimpse into what has kept their relationship strong for nearly three decades.

The interview began with Kelly expressing her surprise at how Mark quickly made their show, Live With Kelly and Mark, his own after joining as her permanent co-host and replacing Ryan Seacrest. She appreciated his ability to adapt to the role and make it his own.

When asked if he was nervous before the new season of Live, Mark admitted that he always feels some level of nervousness but finds comfort in his wife's presence, sharing that he looks into her beautiful eyes for reassurance.

"Every show I get nervous, I breathe I look in your beautiful eyes, and I get to grab your arm and you grab mine and we go out there and it's better," Mark said. 

Kelly, who enjoys observing people from all walks of life, revealed that the diverse guests and callers on the show, as well as the studio audience, keep her inspired and engaged. She views their audience as a microcosm of the globe, appreciating the opportunity to learn from them.

The couple also discussed their dynamic as co-hosts, with Mark commending Kelly for her ability to keep the conversation flowing effortlessly, even when he's running out of things to say. They playfully bantered about the metaphorical "ball in the air," with Kelly insisting there's no ball, and Mark insisting otherwise.

Their humor and easygoing rapport was apparent as they reminisced about their early days as a couple. Kelly recalled their first on-camera kiss, which she described as "rehearsed" due to its scripted nature. Mark playfully added that she surprised him by "slipping the tongue," though Kelly was quick to clarify that this was far from the truth.

"That’s a lie, that is such a lie. I never French on set. That’s my own personal rule, no Frenching on set," quipped Kelly. 

When asked about their dream interviewees, Mark mentioned soccer legends Lionel Messi and David Beckham, both of whom he admires for their influence in the sports and entertainment worlds.

The couple also discussed the idea of becoming empty nesters, with Mark expressing his desire to spend quality time together and enjoy activities they couldn't during their early years of marriage. Kelly echoed his sentiment, sharing that they relished a vacation without their children last summer, emphasizing how much they missed them but also enjoyed the freedom.

"We just went the two of us and it was great. We sat on benches and watched the sunset," Mark said. 

"That was our favorite vacation, don’t tell the kids," Kelly joked.

One intriguing question posed during the interview was about any secrets they've kept from their children. They humorously responded that most of their wild stories occurred before their kids came along, suggesting that the children have missed the party.

In a lighthearted moment, Mark revealed that before they met, he had considered pursuing a career as a lawyer and even entertained the idea of becoming a meteorologist. Kelly playfully connected his fascination with the weather to his current habit of monitoring it closely.

The interview concluded with Kelly and Mark discussing their unwavering belief that they would still be together today if they had met in middle school. They playfully reminisced about how their younger selves might have handled it with some rough play.

Kelly and Mark tied the knot on May 1, 1996 after meeting on the set of All My Children and recently celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary. They are parents to 26-year-old Michael, 21-year-old Lola, and 20-year-old Joaquin.

Last month, Kelly revealed in an interview that she's thinking about retirement "with great interest," but isn't planning to make the big change quite yet. 

"I think the risk-averse quality I have is probably the reason I stayed with the same job for so long," she said in an interview with Cristina Cuomo for wellness outlet The Purist. "Other offers come along, but I like to stick with what I know. I am very steadfast in everything I do, and so when you have me, you have me for life. Having said that, I don't intend to work at this job for the rest of my life. I do talk about retirement with great interest, but right now I'm very happy, especially working with Mark." 

Kelly currently co-hosts Live With Kelly and Mark alongside her husband. He follows in the footsteps of Ryan Seacrest, Michael Strahan and Regis Philbin when it comes to co-hosting with Kelly. 

For her part, Kelly has had her name on the Live marquee for 22 years after replacing Kathie Lee Gifford in 2001. 

In June, Kelly offered some sage words of marriage advice in an interview with ET. 

"The thing is, don't panic," she said. "I think if you ask either one of us how long we've been married we'll probably say something in between three and eight years because that seems like a reasonable number to be married. But then we look and we have adult children and we've gone through a lot of things together. And our kids will show us documentaries that they think we'd find interesting and I'll say to them, 'Oh, you know, Dad and I were married when that went down.' And they're like, 'What? But look at how old-fashioned it is.' They can't conceptualize. It's funny. It goes faster than you think.

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