Andy Cohen Has Tested Positive for Coronavirus

Andy Cohen, the host of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” talk show, has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced on Instagram Friday. Earlier in the day, Cohen had talked to Variety about hosting the show from his apartment in New York City as of this Sunday, but for now, those plans are on hold, a Bravo spokesperson confirmed.

He wrote: “After a few days of self-quarantine, and not feeling great, I have tested positive for Coronavirus. As much as I felt like I could push through whatever I was feeling to do #WWHL from home, we’re putting a pin in that for now so I can focus on getting better. I want to thank all the medical professionals who are working tirelessly for all of us, and urge everybody to stay home and take care of themselves.”

Cohen had told Variety that he wanted to keep going with his show, and had come up with creative ways to bring guests together using a camera in his apartment, and connecting with guests over video chat.

“Watch What Happens Live” shut down last week when television productions were closing down because of the growing coronavirus pandemic. Its last episode was shot on March 12. As a talk show host, Cohen has an unusual amount of contact with other famous people — guests this month have included Hillary Clinton, Padma Lakshmi and Seth Meyers, among many stars of Bravo shows. Cohen also recently shot the revival of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, in which celebrities play for charity. Anderson Cooper and Kaitlin Olson are also on that program, set to return to ABC on April 8.

The Bravo star now joins Idris Elba, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Daniel Dae Kim and “Bachelor” star Colton Underwood in the dystopian new category of celebrities who have gone public with their diagnoses.