Ryan Seacrest sparked fears over his ‘exhaustion’ earlier than leaving ‘Dwell’

Ryan Seacrest’s departure from “Dwell with Kelly and Ryan” got here as no shock to these on set.

In truth, the 48-year-old star incessantly appeared exhausted earlier than leaving “Dwell With Ryan and Kelly,” leaving his mates and colleagues anxious about him, a number of sources instructed Web page Six.

The multi-millionaire has been filming “Dwell,” for which he will get paid $10 million a 12 months, in New York Metropolis, in addition to “American Idol” and his syndicated radio present, “On Air With Ryan Seacrest,” since 2018.

And fatigue has been liable for Seacrest lacking an rising variety of “Dwell” exhibits over the previous six months, one trade insider revealed.

All of it led as much as ABC chiefs quietly formalizing a deal final week for Ripa’s husband, Mark Consuelos, to take over full-time as her co-host. Solely a small crew of individuals was clued into the Consuelos plan, in line with sources. Consuelos has usually stuffed in for Seacrest, together with a week-long stint final October.

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“A few of Ryan’s absences created pressure with everybody concerned on the present,” mentioned the insider. “However everybody cares about him and respects him and simply desires to ensure he’s OK.”

His co-host and longtime good friend, 52-year-old Ripa, who’s on a $20 million-a-year-deal, has not often missed a day in her 23 years on the present.

“They began speaking about Ryan leaving final summer season, and once they introduced Ryan’s departure, each Kelly and Ryan needed to place no matter points — arising from the office and Ryan’s different duties — they’d behind them,” the insider added.

“They’ve identified one another for 20 years and, no matter latest strains, it’s a actual friendship.”

As Web page Six revealed again in Might 2020, ABC executives feared that Seacrest was “overdoing it,” and followers even anxious he had suffered a stroke reside on air, when he appeared to slur in the course of the “American Idol” ultimate. Seacrest later cited “exhaustion” for his points.  He then pulled out of filming “Dwell” lower than half-hour earlier than the present was meant to air.

In keeping with a good friend who works with Seacrest, he discovered the schedule “punishing” and hates residing in New York Metropolis.

Seacrest has repeatedly been touring between his houses in Los Angeles and NYC, and a supply who is aware of him instructed Web page Six: “It’s not simply ‘Dwell.’ Ryan has to journey to audition cities for ‘Idol’ — they simply went to Hawaii. It’s exhausting.

“It’s onerous doing ‘Dwell’ each day. It’s a grueling schedule. There are double tapings and he runs between his radio present and ‘Dwell.’ He’ll have a 10-minute break they usually’ll say, ‘Come and do some one-liners for the radio present.’”

It’s all added as much as multiple individual can deal with, mentioned the supply who is aware of Seacrest. “He’s not fairly burned out, however he is aware of himself [and knows] he wants a break. Within the final couple of years he’s valued his day without work along with his household and his family members,” mentioned the supply.

“Look, he initially signed up for 3 years [on ‘Live’] after which signed one other three-year contract, so he actually did get pleasure from doing the present.”

The supply added that Seacrest — who grows his personal olive timber and has been urgent olive oil to share with mates — is eager to work much more within the culinary area: “He’s actually inquisitive about studying the right way to make wine, he has a ardour for cooking, and that is the type of factor he desires to spend money on.”

Seacrest, who has an estimated fortune of $450 million, will now transfer full-time again to the West Coast, the place he recently sold his Beverly Hills compound for $51 million. California can also be dwelling to his girlfriend, 25-year-old Aubrey Paige, who despatched him a Valentine’s Day message this week on Instagram, captioned: “Loving you has been the adventure of a lifetime.”

He has a long-running working relationship with ABC and can proceed to host “Idol,” for which he’s paid greater than $10 million, alongside the community’s “sing-along exhibits” and his New York Rocking Eve particular. He’s additionally a producer of “The Kardashians” on Hulu, the streamer owned by ABC mum or dad firm Disney, and not too long ago premiered a scripted drama referred to as “The Watchful Eye” on Freeform, which additionally Disney-owned. Alongside this, the host’s radio present deal runs up till 2025.

Seacrest and Ripa introduced his departure on Thursday’s “Dwell,” which he’ll proceed to look on this spring earlier than the present is formally rebranded as “Dwell with Kelly and Mark.”

Leaving was a “robust, robust” determination, Seacrest famous on the present, and a “bittersweet” one.”

“Working alongside Kelly over the previous six years has been a dream job and one of many highlights of my profession,” he added in a press release. 

“There’s no one else such as you,” Ripa instructed him on Thursday’s present: “There’s no one who can actually do what you do. I do know you in actual life in addition to TV life. I say this about only a few folks: what you see is what you get. This isn’t an act, it is a good man. I’m so endlessly impressed by you.”

Nonetheless, mentioned the trade insider: “It was a collective determination that this was the time for Ryan to depart.”

Ripa, Seacrest and Consuelos all appeared on air Friday.

This marks the third co-host Ripa has labored with since she joined Regis Philbin on the present in 2001, changing Kathie Lee Gifford. Philbin’s final present was in November 2011 and he died on the age of 88 in July 2020.

Former NFL star Michael Strahan then joined Ripa internet hosting the present from September 2012 till April 2016, when it was introduced he would depart “Dwell” to hitch “Good Morning America” full-time. 

However Strahan’s departure was fraught and Ripa was mentioned to be livid when it was revealed she had not even been instructed of the plans. Strahan has mentioned the pair now not converse. The present went by way of quite a lot of co-hosts earlier than Seacrest was introduced as Strahan’s substitute.

One good friend of Ripa’s instructed Web page Six: “There’s a enormous distinction between Ryan and Strahan’s departure, this was by far the most effective relationship of Kelly’s earlier co-hosts. Mark has stood in for Ryan with larger frequency and this was simply the suitable time.”

Web page Six has reached out to Strahan’s rep at ABC.

Ripa and Consuelos at the moment are empty nesters at their $27 million Higher East Aspect dwelling as their son Michael, 25, has moved out, whereas daughter Lola, 21, and Joaquin, 19, are in school.

The couple, who additionally personal houses within the Hamptons, Colorado, and the Caribbean, are trying ahead to working collectively after assembly on the cleaning soap “All My Kids.”

“With their children out of the home and forging their very own paths, the timing couldn’t be higher for them to return to being colleagues,” mentioned the Ripa good friend.