In the '80s, Gifford became a substitute anchor and special correspondent for "Good Morning America," traveling more than a quarter-million miles a year to report on human-interest stories. But it was 1988 when she got the break that made her a household name; she was chosen out of several talented candidates to co-host a morning talk show with veteran TV personality Regis Philbin. Live! With Regis & Kathie Lee" was a huge success, and it went on to become one of the country's top five syndicated talk shows. The duo's devoted viewers ate up their familiar banter and sunny dispositions. In February 2000, Gifford shocked viewers when she announced on-air that she was leaving the show after more than 11 years.
But just because the day job is over doesn't mean she'll be far from the public eye. Still high from her Broadway debut in "Putting It Together," Gifford will pursue a full-time career as a singer. Gifford has really come full circle in returning to two of her earliest loves: music and family.
Despite a failed first marriage to a gospel music producer and painful revelations of infidelity in her current marriage, Gifford remains a devoted wife. The couple made a public commitment to shore up their marriage, a touching gesture given our culture's one-strike-and-you're-out attitude toward relationships. Kathie Lee Gifford has also penned a book about her experience as a mom called "Listen to My Heart: Lessons of Love, Laughter and Lunacy" and an autobiography, "I Can't Believe I Said That."