Mark Consuelos Undergoes Big Toe Surgery After Year of Pain, Expected Back on Live

Mark Consuelos announced on the Sept. 25 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark that he is undergoing surgery on his arthritic big toe, a procedure he said he had delayed for about a year.

‘Today’s the day,’ Consuelos told his wife and co-host Kelly Ripa at the top of the episode. ‘I’ve been putting off this toe surgery for about a year.’

The 55-year-old talk show host and actor said the condition has become increasingly painful. ‘It’s bad,’ he said. ‘I need help. Yeah, it hurts.’

Entertainment Weekly reported that Consuelos will not take time off from the ABC talk show and is expected to return as early as Monday. A representative for Live with Kelly and Mark did not immediately provide further details about his recovery schedule.

Condition Linked to Soccer Injury

Consuelos has previously discussed developing an arthritic condition in his toe after years of playing soccer. In November 2024, he said on the show that he had ‘turf toe’ from the sport and that the joint had become arthritic over time. He also noted that he had surgery on his left toe roughly a decade earlier.

Turf toe is an injury to the ligaments or tendons around the big toe and is common among athletes who play on hard surfaces.

Ripa Plans to Document Recovery

Ripa confirmed she would accompany her husband to the procedure. ‘I’m not resisting the opportunity to video capture you coming out of your propofol haze,’ she joked.

Consuelos replied, ‘That’s right. People say some funny, funny things,’ prompting Ripa to remind him that she already has video of him from a previous foot surgery.

Consuelos said he was feeling ‘a little loopy’ ahead of the procedure because he had been instructed to fast for 24 hours. Ripa expressed confusion about the pre-surgery instruction. ‘I’ve never heard of fasting for 24 hours before a surgery,’ she said. ‘It’s dumb. I just want to eat!’ Consuelos joked in response.

The couple also discussed recovery plans, with Consuelos reading from a list of ways loved ones can help after surgery. He asked Ripa to take over walking their dog, Lena, and to be present during his recovery. Ripa suggested activities to keep him occupied, including reading, journaling, knitting and playing games.

Comparison to C-Section Draws Reaction

At one point, Consuelos described the procedure as ‘major surgery’ and compared it to ‘a C-section for your toe.’ Some audience members groaned at the remark. Ripa responded, ‘You know what’s funny? I didn’t fast at all for my C-section, and I was wide awake!’

When a member of the audience mentioned fasting for a groin procedure, Ripa noted, ‘He’s having a toe surgery!’ Consuelos corrected her, saying, ‘It’s my big toe!’ Ripa then joked, ‘Basically, he’s having a pedicure,’ which Consuelos rejected.

Ripa Recently Recovered from Gum Surgery

The surgery comes weeks after Ripa returned to Live with Kelly and Mark following an extended absence for a gum graft procedure. Ripa missed several weeks of the show after undergoing the oral surgery in late July, which she had put off for five years. Consuelos served as one of her caretakers during that recovery, sharing on air that she was under strict instructions not to speak and had to stick to soft foods.

Consuelos is a co-host of Live with Kelly and Mark alongside Ripa, his wife of 30 years. He is also known for his roles on Riverdale, American Horror Story and Only Murders in the Building. The couple is set to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in May 2027.

As of Sept. 25, Consuelos was scheduled to undergo the procedure immediately after the show’s taping. No further official updates on the outcome of the surgery have been released.