Ryan Seacrest facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest in 2019
Born	Ryan John Seacrest (1974-12-24) December 24, 1974 (age 50) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Education	University of Georgia (no degree)
Occupation	Television presenter television producer
Years active	1993–present
Relatives	Henry Gene Skeen (grandfather)

Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is a famous American television presenter and producer. He is well-known for hosting many popular shows. Ryan Seacrest is the new host of Wheel of Fortune, taking over from Pat Sajak in September 2024.

He also co-hosted Live with Kelly and Ryan for several years. Other big shows he has hosted include American Idol, American Top 40, and On Air with Ryan Seacrest. Since 2005, he has been a co-host of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, becoming the main host after Dick Clark passed away in 2012.

Ryan Seacrest has won and been nominated for many Emmy Awards for his work on shows like American Idol and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Early life and first steps

Ryan John Seacrest was born in Atlanta on December 24, 1974. His mother said that instead of playing with toys, Ryan would often pretend to host shows with a small microphone.

When he was 14, he went to Dunwoody High School. At 16, while still in high school, he got an internship at a radio station called WSTR in Atlanta. There, a radio personality named Tom Sullivan taught him a lot about broadcasting. One day, when a DJ was sick, Ryan got his first chance to be on air. He worked the weekend overnight shift at WSTR until he graduated in 1992.

He then studied journalism at the University of Georgia and continued his radio show at a local station. At age 19, he moved to Los Angeles to follow his dream of a broadcasting career.

Career highlights

Seacrest at the 2008 Emmy Awards

Television hosting

Starting out in TV

In 1993, Ryan Seacrest hosted the first season of ESPN's Radical Outdoor Challenge. He also hosted several kids' game shows. These included Gladiators 2000 from 1994 to 1996, Wild Animal Games in 1995, and Click in 1997. He even appeared as a game show host on the TV show Beverly Hills, 90210. In 2001, he hosted Ultimate Revenge, a reality television show where people played elaborate pranks on their friends and family.

Hosting American Idol

In 2002, Seacrest became the co-host of a new Fox reality show called American Idol. The next year, he became the only host. The show became incredibly popular, with millions of viewers each week, and Ryan became famous worldwide. In 2003, he also hosted the spin-off show, American Juniors. He continued to host American Idol until it ended in 2016. When the show was brought back by ABC in 2017, Ryan announced he would return as host.

New Year's Eve celebrations

Seacrest in 2013

In 2005, Ryan Seacrest became an executive producer and co-host of ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. This is a huge New Year's Eve celebration broadcast live from New York City. On December 31, 2005, Ryan took on most of the hosting duties because Dick Clark was recovering from a stroke.

In 2009, the show was renamed Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest. After Dick Clark passed away in 2012, Ryan became the sole host. He has continued to host the show every year, making it one of the most watched New Year's Eve broadcasts.

Working with E! and NBC

In 2006, Ryan signed a deal with the US cable channel E! to host various shows, including E! News and their red carpet awards show coverage. In 2012, he also signed a deal with NBCUniversal. This expanded his role to include contributing to the Today Show, Olympics coverage, and other special events. He was a correspondent for the 2012 London Olympics and hosted the late-night coverage for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Co-hosting Live with Kelly and Ryan

On May 1, 2017, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would join Kelly Ripa as the new permanent co-host and executive producer of Live with Kelly and Ryan. The show became very popular, attracting millions of viewers.

In February 2023, Ryan announced he would be leaving Live with Kelly and Ryan after six years. He explained that his main home is in Los Angeles, while the show is filmed in New York City, and the travel was too much. His last full-time appearance was on April 14, 2023. However, he said he would return to guest host when Kelly Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, who replaced him, is unavailable.

Hosting Wheel of Fortune

In June 2023, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would take over from Pat Sajak as the host of Wheel of Fortune. He began his hosting duties for the show's 42nd season on September 9, 2024.

Other TV appearances

Ryan has also hosted other shows like The Million Second Quiz on NBC in 2013. In 2015, he hosted Knock Knock Live on Fox, where celebrities surprised ordinary people who had done good deeds with prizes. However, that show was canceled after only two episodes.

Radio hosting

In January 2004, Ryan Seacrest became the new host of American Top 40. This is a weekly countdown radio show that was originally created and hosted by Casey Kasem. In February 2004, Ryan also became the host of the morning show for Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM. This show is called On Air With Ryan Seacrest. Since 2017, he has been broadcasting this show from New York City.

In 2018, Ryan Seacrest was honored by being inducted into the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation's Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts.

Television producing

Seacrest speaking at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in September 2012

Ryan Seacrest also works as a television producer. This means he helps create and develop TV shows behind the scenes. He launched his own company called Ryan Seacrest Productions (RSP).

His company produced the very popular reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians for the E! network, along with its spin-off shows. RSP also produced the Emmy Award-winning ABC reality series Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, which focused on improving school lunches. Other reality shows produced by RSP include Melissa and Tye for CMT and Shahs of Sunset for Bravo.

In 2017, Ryan Seacrest Productions signed a deal with ABC Studios to develop new scripted TV shows.

Business ventures and fashion

Ryan Seacrest has also been involved in various business projects. He was an investor in the Typo keyboard, which was designed for iPhones. He is also an investor and partner in Pathwater, a company that sells purified water in reusable aluminum bottles.

In 2013, Ryan Seacrest launched his own clothing and accessories collection called "Ryan Seacrest Distinction." This brand sells suits, sports coats, ties, and other accessories at Macy's stores. He also partnered with a dermatologist to create a men's skincare line called Polished.

Helping others

In 2010, Ryan Seacrest started a non-profit organization called the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. This foundation builds special centers called "Seacrest Studios" in children's hospitals across the United States. These studios allow young patients to explore radio, television, and new media. They can host shows, interview celebrities, and learn about broadcasting, which helps them feel better and have fun during their hospital stays.

Ryan Seacrest also serves on the board of trustees for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. He is also an honorary co-chair of the GRAMMY Foundation board, which supports music education and preservation.

Personal life

Ryan Seacrest dated dancer and actress Julianne Hough from 2010 to 2013.

In May 2016, Ryan returned to the University of Georgia to give the commencement speech at the graduation ceremony. He also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the university.

Credits

Radio

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Ryan Seacrest para niños