Highlights
- Ryan Seacrest struggled with the behind-the-scenes rule of not discussing anything before going on air.
- Ryan Seacrest co-hosted with Kelly Ripa for six years.
- Seacrest left Live with Kelly and Ryan to focus on his other hosting jobs, including American Idol.
For six years, Ryan Seacrest had an impressive run alongside his longtime pal, Kelly Ripa, on Live with Kelly and Ryan. Among the many unique displays, the pair brought on the show, Ripa and Seacrest’s co-hosting chemistry stood out and delighted fans. Having gone on to host more TV shows like American Idol, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, the TV star proved he was well on the path to becoming one of the best TV hosts.
However, like many professionals, his first day on Live with Kelly and Ryan was as memorable as much as it terrified him. Ryan Seacrest did not have a problem getting along with his co-host or crew members, but he struggled with some of the behind-the-scenes rules that, unfortunately for him, required spontaneity. Here’s how the TV personality got through his first day on Live.
Ryan Seacrest Faced An Issue With Workplace Rules On His First Day On Live With Kelly And Ryan
When the TV host joined Kelly Ripa as a co-anchor on Live in 2017, it was unlike the regular co-worker relationship. Ryan Seacrest and Ripa knew each other before working together on Live, and although this was a plus for their infamous work chemistry, it did not allay his fears about specific work rules. Since its inception, Live has incorporated a system where the co-hosts are not allowed to discuss anything or even hold a brief chat before going on air.
The showrunners preferred for the hosts to save all discussions for when the camera started rolling. This means there were no last-minute rehearsals between the anchors. While it is safe to say that this has worked fine on the show for many years, Ryan Seacrest did not precisely understand how to navigate the rule when he first joined; in fact, he struggled with it to get by on his first day on Live With Kelly And Ryan. The media personality once got candid about his struggle on Sirius XM’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast with Kelly Ripa.
The entertainer opened up on how he and Kelly Ripa had only had a few minutes to chat behind the cameras before going live. He revealed they were not permitted to chat while preparing to go on air. Ryan Seacrest said:
“Whomever you were with, you don’t speak beforehand. You go out, and you just do it, and it comes together and that’s terrifying to think about if you’ve never done that before, and I was terrified about that because I had never done it before…”
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Ryan Seacrest explained that he did have a similar experience during his radio stint. However, it felt different to experience that routine on live TV. The TV host stated, ‘It’ ‘s different when you’re on television, and it’s 9:00, and it’s go time, and it’s true. We would quickly say ‘hi’ and grab each other’s hands and go.”
While the Live with Kelly and Ryan workplace rule gave him a tough time, it is safe to say that Ryan Seacrest’s stint was hardly affected. The star co-hosted the long-running show with Kelly Ripa for six years before bowing out in April 2023. Kelly Ripa also talked about the quirky workplace rule, which was still effective even as she went on to co-host with her husband, Mark Consuelos.
Ripa revealed further that Ryan Seacrest was, in fact, the co-anchor she had the most backstage conversations with. The duo admitted that they chatted many times before going on air and were often told to “save it for the show.” In September 2022, the TV stars celebrated five years of working together on Live. Speaking to ET, Ripa gushed over their on-screen rapport, stating, “I think what is really special about our relationship is that we really, truly can read each other’s mind.”
How Much Does Ryan Seacrest Make Hosting ‘American Idol’?
The star makes quite a bit doing what he does, however, his $10 million ‘American Idol’ salary, takes the cake!
Some of Ryan Seacrest’s TV show jobs, according to IMDb:
|
TV Shows |
Year |
|
Gladiators |
1994 |
|
Wild Animal Game |
1995 |
|
Click |
1997 |
|
American Idol |
2002 |
|
American Juniors |
2003 |
|
Live with Kelly and Ryan |
2017- 2023 |
|
Wheel of Fortune |
2024 – |
Why Did Ryan Seacrest Leave Live With Kelly And Ryan?
During his six-year stint on Live with Kelly and Ryan, the TV star witnessed tremendous progress in his career. He juggled his working time among several shows on TV and radio. However, in April 2023, Ryan Seacrest announced his exit from Live on Instagram, where he shared a heartfelt tribute. Per StyleCaster, the star shared several snapshots of his and Kelly Ripa’s moments on Live, as he penned:
“I’m going to miss my work wife and all the laughter we share. When I signed on to host Live in 2017, it was meant to be three years, but I loved the job and working with Kelly so much that I extended my time….”
So why did finally leave Live with Kelly and Ryan? The star, who relayed that sharing the morning coffee with viewers daily was “the best part of the gig”, explained that he was leaving Live with Kelly and Ryan to focus on his other hosting jobs. Seacrest explained in his Instagram announcement:
“I’ll be transitioning out of Live this Spring to shoot the 21st season of American Idol in LA, continue my radio show on KIIS-FM and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve, and focus my summer on the opening three more Ryan Seacrest Foundation Studios in pediatric hospitals across the country.”
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The star, who turned down another hosting gig to be on American Idol, added that he looked forward to returning to Live as a guest host in the future. Insiders also shared more insight on why the star chose to leave Live with Kelly and Ryan. One close source informed TMZ that Ryan Seacrest planned to return to Los Angeles, where he initially moved from, to work on Live in New York. The insider relayed that the TV pro planned to start his olive oil business as he already had a property that produces olive oil.
A second insider told Page Six that Ryan Seacrest chose to leave Live with Kelly and Ryan due to his extreme fatigue from taking on several gigs. This alluded to possible health issues. Leading up to his exit, Seacrest missed several episodes of the show, reportedly leading to some tension. The insider relayed, “Some of Ryan’s absences created tension with everyone involved on the show, but everyone cares about him and respects him.” The source added that Kelly Ripa knew about his exit before the announcement.
Source: NewsFinale
