Eric Ferguson and Kelly Ripa (2011)

As one of Chicago’s highest paid and most popular radio stars, Eric Ferguson knows he has a pretty sweet gig hosting the top-rated morning show on WTMX FM 101.9.

But after two decades of mixing it up with co-host Kathy Hart on the Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station every day, what if something new came along?

Reports this week that ABC was seeking a new co-host for Kelly Ripa on “Live!” now that Michael Strahan is headed for “Good Morning America” brought to mind an earlier talent search on the nationally syndicated talk show.

In January 2011, shortly after Regis Philbin announced he was leaving the program, Ripa welcomed Ferguson as co-host for a day. He’d been one of five radio personalities from across the country to win a contest for the guest shot in New York.

No one called it an audition at the time, but Ferguson clearly hit it off with Ripa (as the video below shows) and came back to Chicago beaming about the experience.

So has he thought about throwing his hat in the ring this time?

“Michael Strahan is leaving a great job — one of the best,” Ferguson said Thursday. “I already have a great job that I love. A lot of people are hoping the phone rings to talk about it. . . . It would be a fun call to get.”

Hey, a guy can dream, can’t he?