Kelly Ripa was ‘crushed’ over last conversation with Shannen Doherty shortly before star’s death

Kelly Ripa admitted she was “devastated” over her last conversation with Shannen Doherty, shortly before her death on July 13.

The 53-year-old TV personality, who was joined by the late actress on her podcast Let’s Talk Off Camera in June, opened up about Entertainment tonight Tuesday about the emotional conversation the couple had during the episode.

Ripa explained that over the years she had tried to put the Beverly Hills, 90210 star in touch with people she knew.

“I always had an idea in my head of who would be a good match for Shannen,” Kelly said. “But in the last conversation, she basically said to me, ‘I’m kind of a tough salesperson because I don’t have much time left.'”

“That’s, I think, what I learned from it. I was devastated that she seemed to realize that her time was very, very limited.”

Ripa, who is known for Live With Kelly And Mark, said: ‘I have to say she told me about her treatments and it was so brutal and painful.’

“It sounds very superficial, but the fact that she is no longer in pain – physical pain – gives everyone who knew and loved her a little peace.”

Doherty was first diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in 2015. He went into remission two years later.

However, by 2019, the cancer had returned and the following year she went public with her stage four metastatic diagnosis. In 2023, Shannen gave the heartbreaking update that the cancer had spread to her brain.

Kelly then opened up about Doherty’s passing at age 53 to ET: “It was just painful because we were the same age.”

“We grew up together and I always thought she got the worst deal of anyone in show business. I still believe that. I still believe it.”

At the time of her death, Shannen’s publicist Leslie Sloane released a statement to People which said: ‘It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty.’

‘On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer, after fighting the disease for years.’

“The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones and her dog, Bowie. The family requests their privacy at this time so they may grieve in peace.”

Ripa also paid tribute to Doherty on Live With Kelly And Mark upon hearing the news of the star’s death, per Decision maker.

“She had just been on our show. She had just been on the podcast,” the TV personality mused with her husband, Mark Consuelos.

“She’s just a brave, brave woman. A girly girl. You know, if you didn’t know her, you felt like you did, and she was just a special person. One of a kind. And I’m so sad to lose her.”

Kelly later recalled a funny moment the two shared. “She said something really funny to me on the podcast.”

“She said the worst thing is that people come to her and tell her about family members who have died because of what she went through.”

“In an attempt to… because people want to identify. They want to identify with you in some way. The knowledge that she was living on borrowed time and people constantly reminding her that their mother died from what she had,” Kelly continued.

Ripa added that she “found a really funny card and I sent it to her because it said, ‘When life gives you lemons, I promise I won’t tell you how my mother died of lemons.'”

“And I thought, ‘This is the card! This is the moment,’” the mother of three added.

“Sometimes you find these cards and you think, ‘Someday I’m going to send this to someone, and it’s going to put a smile on their face.’ And it did. It made her laugh so much.”

During the June 25 episode of Ripa’s Podcast Let’s talk off cameraDoherty talked about dating having an “expiration date.”

“I think it’s hard for someone like me personally because it’s hard to date someone when you know they’re maybe past their expiration date,” the actress said at the time.

“I think so too, and I don’t think men can deal with death and illness very well. Most men, I don’t want to generalize and say all men, but they can’t deal with it as well as women. So I think I’m hard to convince.”

She also gave an update on her battle with cancer, saying: “It’s a bit like being a guinea pig on a wheel.”

“You know, you just keep spinning the wheel and you hope that your protocol lasts a very long time and that you get the most out of it.”

Shannen added: ‘But inevitably one protocol breaks down and you have to go to the next one. And when you go to the next one, you have a whole new set of issues to deal with.’

As for the treatment, the Charmed actress told Ripa it was “probably one of the most physically demanding treatments.”

Following news of her passing, even more tributes poured in as fans and celebrities mourned her loss, including close friend Sarah Michelle Gellar and Doherty’s former Beverly Hills, 90210 co-stars Brian Austin Green and Jennie Garth.