The Transformation Of Ryan Seacrest From Childhood To 47

The following article includes allegations of sexual abuse and mentions of disordered eating.

TV Guide once called Ryan Seacrest "the busiest man in Hollywood," recognizing that the charismatic "American Idol" host has a ridiculously impressive number of jobs listed on his resume. In addition to having helped find superstars like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood on the long-running talent contest, Seacrest has racked up on-screen credits across shows as varied as "E! News," "Live! With Kelly and Ryan," "The Million Second Quiz," and even a stint on "The Simpsons." He's the rare hosting talent with both a voice for radio and a face for television. He hosts red carpet fashion commentary and New Year's Eve celebrations, can be heard over the radio on shows like "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" and "American Top 40," and he sometimes even offers fitness advice in magazines like Men's Health. He's the man who co-created and executive produced "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and numerous other reality shows. He even has a skincare line!

The familiar face and recognizable voice have been a major part of American pop culture for two decades at this point, thanks in no small part to his impressive work ethic and evolving sense of style. Here, then, is a look back at the transformation of Ryan Seacrest over the years, from bullied child to broadcasting icon.

Ryan Seacrest often talks about struggling with shame surrounding his weight as a child, and how being bullied for it then still affects him today as an adult. 

In January 2022, he opened up about his childhood on "Live! With Kelly and Ryan," telling the audience (via People), "I will always see that little boy when I look in the mirror. I cannot get past it." The star added, "I've talked to our experts about it, but for some reason, I just cannot see that guy." Co-host Kelly Ripa cautioned Seacrest, whose apparent diet caused concern among fans in late 2021, "You spend a great deal of time fixating on what you're eating and what you're not eating and when you're eating and how much you're eating and how many times of day you're eating."

He also described his childhood to Men's Journal. "I remember it vividly," Seacrest said, recalling that he used to keep his shirt on while he was swimming because he was afraid of being teased. He also remembered "going to shop for the first day of school and being in the husky jeans section at Marshall's." Telling the magazine that his experience colors how he still thinks about fitness today, Seacrest said, "I also remember at times being teased about it and because of that it's still in my brain. I never want to feel that way again."

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

Though Ryan Seacrest recalls being teased in elementary school, he seems to have found his voice at Dunwoody High School in Georgia ... literally. His mother, Connie Seacrest, told The New York Times Magazine that her son realized he wanted to be in radio when he was younger: "I thought it was a hobby. But people would call my answering machine just to listen to his voice. They thought I had a professional doing it." He won a contest to be the "Voice of Dunwoody" and soon had an internship at a local radio station. Years later on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest," while looking back at his old yearbook, Ryan recalled passing along radio station swag to his friends who hoped for merch from Sting.

Ryan also played football in high school, and it seems like he was actually pretty good. Fox Sports reporter Bruce Feldman tweeted that he spoke with the star's former coach, who went on to work at the University of Central Florida. "He was feisty," coach David Kelly recalled. "He'd knock the crap out of [people]."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryan sent a Facebook video message back to his alma mater. "You all deserve credit for your achievements, for your hard work. You deserve to be saluted," he told the graduating class of 2020, concluding, "I wish I was there, so, a virtual high five and hug!"

Though he had a few gigs here and there as a correspondent on shows like "Talk Soup" and "Extra," Ryan Seacrest rose to national prominence when "American Idol" premiered on Fox in 2002. The first season was a bona-fide cultural phenomenon, launching the career of Kelly Clarkson in addition to raising the profile of the judging and hosting talent on the show. Seacrest told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that he viewed his position on the show several ways. "I'm part confessioner, part comedian, and a little bit of Switzerland in that I'm the neutral one taking care of these contestants," he said.

"American Idol" was an attempt to replicate a British show that had been hosted by comedic duo Ant & Dec, so Seacrest's biggest fashion statement during that first season, aside from his spiky bottle-blond hair and pinstripe suits, was his co-host, Brain Dunkleman. Dunkleman only lasted that first year before being let go; evidently, he and Seacrest didn't get along. In a GQ profile years later, Dunkleman complained, "I understand the interest in 'Idol' ... but it wears on a man, and the most annoying part is people reminding me of how wealthy Ryan Seacrest is. I know."

Unlike his discarded co-host, things went well for Seacrest thanks to "American Idol." And that blond hair did him good — according to WFLX, Los Angeles Magazine named him one of LA's Sexiest People.

Brian Dunkleman left "American Idol" after the first season, but Ryan Seacrest stayed on. Thanks to the show's continuing popularity, the network announced him as the host of a kid-friendly spinoff, "American Juniors," which ran for only one season in 2003. This time, Seacrest rocked a more toned-down look to reflect the comfortable, laid-back nature of the show: rather than the suits he wore while hosting "Idol," Seacrest frequently appeared on "American Juniors" with his trademark frosted, spiky tips, blue jeans, and regular old button-down shirts, with the top buttons occasionally undone. 

The kiddie band formed by the finale of "American Juniors" failed to produce any hits, but it did launch the career of actor Lucy Hale, who made it to the finale of the competition and won a place in the quickly disbanded pop group. Hale would go on to find fame as a star on "Pretty Little Liars," as well as picking up co-hosting duties on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," alongside her former host Ryan Seacrest himself. The two bonded about their shared history in 2020, with Seacrest telling Access Online that a throwback pic he'd shared of the "American Juniors" days was "definitely a photograph that we laugh at and look at every once in a while."

After Dunkleman was no longer in the picture, around this time Seacrest started using his catchphrase, which he dropped at the end of each episode: "Seacrest, out!"

Though he was becoming increasingly known for his various hosting roles in front of the camera, Ryan Seacrest pivoted in the mid-2000s and added another hosting format to his increasingly stacked resume: radio. Seacrest became the replacement host on legendary radio broadcast countdown American Top 40, taking over for the iconic voice of Casey Kasem. "Here we go!" Seacrest said at the top of his very first show as host. "... Thanks for having us on. My name is Ryan Seacrest, and I'll play the role of your host."

Seacrest talked about Kasem's importance years later, admitting to Kasem's daughter, Kerri Kasem, that he'd always wanted to be like her father. "I listened to him and I admired him and I wanted to do something in the universe like he did and long story short, things happen and they offer me to take over," Seacrest recalled.

That same year, thanks in part to the success of his new radio gig, Seacrest hosted the Billboard Music Awards. He dressed down for the event, sporting light-wash jeans, several layered shirts, and a mismatched velvet jacket. Ah, the 2000s.

In the mid-2000s, nothing was funnier than watching a celebrity get pranked by Ashton Kutcher and his friends. MTV's hit show "Punk'd" put stars through the wringer, staging a series of ridiculous, improbable, frustrating situations and training their cameras on the celebs' reactions for the amusement of audiences at home. In 2005, Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson were in on a prank played on their "American Idol" colleague Simon Cowell, the infamously ornery British judge of the talent show.

In the episode, Seacrest sported a giant pair of shades ... presumably, the better to hide his expression of amusement as he knew his friend was being Punk'd. The three met for a hangout at an exclusive rooftop party. As they left, Cowell watched in horror as the valet handed over the keys and someone else got into what appeared to be his $400,000 Rolls Royce Phantom, caused an accident, and sped away. "I'm gonna call the police. I'll call the police," Seacrest offered, taking out a flip phone. He didn't, of course; the cop who showed up to take the report was an actor, in on the joke.

When the prank was ultimately revealed, Seacrest whipped off his shades, stuck his finger in Cowell's face, and said, "Got you!"

Ryan Seacrest's next high-profile gig was as the co-host of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" as 2005 became 2006, hosting alongside the show's namesake TV legend, who was at the time recovering from a stroke. USA Today reported that Seacrest's deal would see him acting as Clark's co-host for a few years with an eye toward eventually hosting the show himself, which is what wound up happening after Clark died in 2012.

Seacrest's co-hosting duties that first year took him out into Times Square. He appeared on TV while wearing a heavy peacoat and black leather gloves, sporting an oversized pair of blue over-ear headphones complete with a giant antenna (monitors were far more conspicuous in 2006, after all!). Special guest Hillary Duff performed — we say again ... 2006, after all — and when the camera cut back to Seacrest after midnight, he turned to the guest on his platform, none other than Mariah Carey, and said, "Thanks for the kiss! I lucked out this year!" She grinned, "Thank you! So did I!" The two would go on to work together years later when Carey joined the judging panel on "American Idol."

As a testament to Ryan Seacrest's ubiquity in the 2000s, he appeared as himself in a cameo role in Judd Apatow's film "Knocked Up," leaning into his reputation as an agitated "E! News" host. He wore a collared shirt under a v-neck sweater, jeans, and sneakers, echoing the very-00s style he usually rocked during his more laid-back hosting gigs as opposed to his red carpet attire. In the film, he plays a version of himself as an uptight, busy man who can't wait around for Jessica Simpson, who is running late to an interview. This sets him off, and he launches into a profanity-laced rant directed at Katherine Heigl's character, insisting, "All these stars just f*** it up. That's what they do. They f*** my day up. It pisses me off, and now I'm sweating." He is ultimately soothed by chocolate chip cookies.

Promoting his role in the film, Seacrest told the Associated Press (via The Oklahoman), "I love it! I don't mind being the butt of the joke. It doesn't really bother me. I quite enjoy it." He also said he enjoyed improvising with Apatow and added, "This was a very therapeutic exercise."

Fox took advantage of an opportunity for a bit of cross-promotion in the 21st season finale of "The Simpsons," which aired in 2010. In the episode, Moe's Tavern owner Moe Szyslak discovers he has a penchant for insult comedy and, through a series of comedic misadventures, is invited to be a judge on "American Idol." Extra announced that the finale episode would feature a number of voice cameos from the "Idol" team, including Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara Dioguardi, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Ryan Seacrest also voiced himself. His animated avatar appeared with the yellow skin unique to characters in "Simpsons" world, wearing a white suit with blue shirt and his trademark bottle-blond, spiky hair. His character exists mostly as a setup for everyone else, but when Moe threatens Simon with a smashed bottle, Seacrest gets in a punchline about making sure he turns the "label to camera," a joke about the copious Coca-Cola sponsorship on "Idol."

That wasn't the only time Seacrest got animated in 2010. He appeared as the father of an annoying child named Butter Pants in "Shrek Forever After," the kid who keeps asking the titular ogre to "do the roar." Reflecting on his role in a behind-the-scenes featurette, Seacrest joked that he was taller animated, and that he really had to flex his acting muscles. "When I read the script, I thought, 'This is gonna be quite a stretch for me to, you know, have a son named Butter Pants,'" he quipped.

Ryan Seacrest made a name for himself at E!, hosting both in-studio programs and interviewing celebs about their fashion choices on awards show red carpets. He first joined the network in 2006, and by the next decade, he was an ever-present face at every major event in Tinseltown. When he extended his contract in 2015, he told The Hollywood Reporter, "Live television is both thrilling and challenging in countless ways, and it's a privilege to be a part of E!'s Live from the Red Carpet shows. It's truly a credit to the entire cast and incredible crew that we're consistently able to produce the best awards season coverage in the business." 

Through his regular red carpet appearances, Seacrest became something of a fashion icon himself. He frequently wears snazzy tuxes that rise to the occasion: at the Academy Awards in 2010, he turned heads in a Burberry tuxedo, and the high-end label's reps told the Los Angeles Times that he was actually in Burberry head-to-toe, from his shirt to his shoes.

Seacrest would go on to host red carpet coverage for the network until 2021, when he announced on Instagram that he had "decided to move on to new adventures" and would no longer be appearing regularly as the face of E!.

After exploding to fame during one of fashion's most mistake-filled decades, Ryan Seacrest's sense of style settled, and he became known for the suits he wore on "American Idol" and at his various hosting gigs. In 2014, Seacrest launched his own clothing line through a partnership with Macy's, selling an affordable line of suits and separates called Ryan Seacrest Distinction. "Every suit and tux is made so you can move quickly through life," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "The design is active, and you can move through life quickly and even put this together in a quick fashion."

The Wall Street Journal noted that the suit line comes with a color-matching system meant to help style-challenged men easily figure out which ties go with which jackets, which shirts are meant to be paired with which pants, etc. "The bottom button of the shirt is horizontal as opposed to vertical," reported Ray Smith for WSJ Live, "and that's partly because he wanted you to stop and see, sort of, the Ryan Seacrest label."

At the line's launch party in New York, Seacrest opted for a purple tie and matching pocket-square, clutching a Macy's-branded microphone while he spoke to the crowd. By this point in his career, he wasn't dying his hair quite so blond, and he opted for a more casual style rather than the overly-gelled spikes he was originally known for.

After more than a decade on the air, "American Idol" said goodbye in 2016, with its 15th season advertised as The Farewell Season. Ryan Seacrest sat down with Natalie Morales on the "Today" show to talk about his career on the show. "It would be impossible for me to not get emotional at that finale," he said, nearly tearing up. He also told Morales that the key to his success was that he "was scared to death of failing."

That fear served him well. In what was meant to be the show's final episode ever, Seacrest crowned one last winner as the newest American Idol: Trent Harmon. The host wore a grey tux with black lapels, pairing it with a black bow tie and matching the somber, yet celebratory nature of the event. Former superstars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and even William Hung made appearances on the show, and Seacrest's former on-screen partner, Brian Dunkleman, stopped by to reminisce about the old days. The two looked far more refined than their original debut — their suits fit better and their hair was less messy! "Well, well, well, Seacrest. Looks like after tonight, you're gonna be out of a job!" the former co-host-turned-comedian-turned-Uber-driver joked (via TV Line).

Seacrest, of course, had many other jobs to fall back on. "Good night, America," he said at the end of the final episode, "... for now."

Michael Strahan shocked viewers and his co-host, Kelly Ripa, when he abruptly left "Live! With Kelly and Michael" in 2016, according to Variety. Reportedly, they didn't get along off-camera; TMZ even reported that a source claimed she was "bullying" him behind the scenes. After a full year spent with a rotating series of co-hosts in the extra chair, "Live!" found its new, permanent foil for Ripa: none other than Ryan Seacrest.

The rebranded "Live! With Kelly and Ryan" premiered in 2017. Seacrest's hiring was initially kept secret — in fact, it wasn't revealed until the show was actually airing, when he walked out on stage and took his seat at the desk, leading to raucous applause from the audience. In contrast to his typical buttoned-up look on "American Idol" and otherwise, Seacrest wore his tan jacket open to show off a navy blue double-breasted vest. "I couldn't be more excited to be here with you," he told his new on-screen partner.

The morning-show gig, which films in New York, meant a lifestyle change for Seacrest. He told Business Insider that his new schedule involved a lot of time management, considering that he was due live on the radio as soon as "Live!" was finished taping. "When the alarm goes off I'm not allowed to hit snooze because it's down to the minute. And I ... I thrive off of that. I think I'm having more fun when I'm busier," he said.

In 2018, a mere two years after the show originally went off the air, Ryan Seacrest picked back up his favorite accessory: the "American Idol" microphone. When the series made the move from Fox to ABC, Seacrest announced his return to the franchise on "Live! With Kelly and Ryan." He joked, "I don't know if you've ever been in a 15-year relationship and then, for a reason you really don't know, you break up. ... I thought, gosh, it'd be great to get back together at some point."

The new (old) gig was more complicated this time around thanks to Seacrest's commitment to "Live!" which films in New York as opposed to "Idol's" Los Angeles taping. He also faced sexual abuse allegations from a former stylist, though he denied the claims, and an E! investigation eventually cleared him of wrongdoing. "I've known Ryan now for almost 16 years. I stand by him," said Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of Fremantle Media, which produces "Idol" (via The Hollywood Reporter). She continued, "Obviously it's unfortunate. I'm not privy to the details. He seems to be very robust in his defense." 

Despite controversy around Seacrest's hiring and the complications introduced by his bicoastal schedule, the revival did well. With Season 20 premiering in February 2022, Seacrest told The Hollywood Reporter of "Idol's" longevity, "I really feel like this is the kind of show that has a home somewhere for as long as people want to produce it and make it — as long as people want to audition for it." Nicki Swift, out!

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).