Regis says he’ll return to ‘Live’ on April 26

updated 6:40 p.m. ET April 16, 2007

NEW YORK - Regis Philbin says he’ll return to his syndicated daytime talk show April 26, about six weeks after having triple heart bypass surgery.

Philbin called “Live With Regis and Kelly” on Monday to say he’d been “through the wars” in his recovery but was building up strength by walking and lifting light weights.

He joked that when he returns to the show, he won’t be the “fun-loving Reege” that he was before because his whole personality had changed because of the operation.

The last time Philbin, 75, called the show, he seemed to complain about not having sex for 3½ months. On Monday, he clarified what he meant to say.

“I meant to tell you that I was hallucinating and saying weird things,” Philbin said. “I swear to God. I just would blurt out something in my sleep and so the last time I called you, before I made the call, (his wife) Joy said, ‘You know, you’re yelling out again.’

“I said, ‘What did I yell out this time?’ She said, ‘Well, you yelled out you didn’t have sex for 3½ months.’ I said, ‘Well, that’s funny. I’ll tell that to Kelly. Well, I haven’t heard the end of that since I brought that up, like a dope!”

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“What are you saying now?” Ripa responded. “Is it like — what are we talking about, every night, three times a week?”

“I’ll let it go at five times a week,” said Philbin. “Let’s not talk about it anymore.”

Last month, Philbin told his audience he was getting the operation because “there’s some plaque in some arteries and I’ve got to get it cleaned out.”

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