Ryan Seacrest finds difficult to detach himself from Radio industry

Ryan Seacrest and iHeartMedia have signed a new three-year contract that will extend until the end of 2027. The omnipresent entertainer will remain a core personality on all iHeartRadio platforms as per the agreement, hosting and producing 102.7 KIIS-FM's No. 1 L.A. morning drive-time show, American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, and the nationally syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest.

As part of the new agreement, Seacrest will also continue to have a close working connection with iHeart president Rich Bressler and chairman and CEO Bob Pittman, marking his 20 years as the voice of morning radio in Los Angeles and nearly 30 years overall. In that role, Seacrest not only contributes ideas to the company's main projects but also serves as the host of a number of its main events, such as the two-day iHeartRadio Music Festival and the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball holiday extravaganza in Los Angeles.

“The first job I ever had where I got a paycheck was at a radio station. That was when I was 16 years old, and so I’ve come into a studio every day of my life forever. It’s just something that’s such a part of my DNA,” he tells THR, before adding: “There is a real intimacy and unvarnished presentation to live radio that I love. It’s different [from] television, where it’s highly produced and, in many cases, very rehearsed.”

The announcement of Seacrest's contract coincides with his return to Los Angeles following a six-year stay in New York for the taping of Live with Kelly and Ryan. He said he would be quitting the daytime talk programme early this year, adding that he had already stayed three years longer than he had originally intended.