Regis Philbin will take a leave of absence from his popular New York talk show to have a hip replacement.

“I’ve been limping around here. It really is painful,” said Regis, who made the announcement during a Las Vegas taping of the ABC daytime talk show, Live! With Regis And Kelly.

Philbin, 78, is scheduled to undergo the surgery next Tuesday when the show returns to New York. He would only promise: “I’ll be back next year.”

Philbin’s deadpan act with perky sidekick Kelly Ripa has kept viewers entertained for many years. Neither Regis nor Kelly would comment on who would step in for him while he took leave but the show has embraced many guest co-hosts in its time.