Ryan Seacrest Appears on ‘Live’ 2 Months After Exit: Why He Returned

Ryan Seacrest surprised Live viewers by returning to the show two months after his exit, but fans shouldn’t expect a permanent stay.

The American Idol host, 48, made a pre-taped appearance on the Tuesday, June 20, episode of the daytime show and is set to be featured throughout the remainder of the week. Segments will include trivia, as well as previously unseen footage and memorable moments from before Seacrest’s departure.

During Tuesday’s show, the radio host made a direct nod to the date during the pre-recorded introduction.

Seacrest will briefly appear again as Kelly Ripa‘s team enjoys their summer break later this season. Guest hosts Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Maria Menounos and more have also been tapped to join Mark Consuelos throughout the summer.

The month of July will further feature weeks of episodes dedicated to specific topics. Health and wellness takes center stage during “Aches and Pains Week,” while adoptable pets are set to be the focus of “Dog Days of Summer Week.”

Ripa, 52, was first joined by Seacrest on Live in 2017. After six years of sharing the spotlight, the Georgia native announced in February that he would be leaving the talk show.

“Working alongside Kelly over the past six years has been a dream job and one of the highlights of my career. She has been an amazing partner, friend, and confidant, and although we will always be a part of each other’s lives, I will miss our mornings together,” he noted in a statement at the time, calling his time on Live a “memorable ride.”

The Live Wire author said in a statement of her own, “Ryan’s energy, passion and love for entertainment is one-of-a-kind,” as Seacrest gushed that he was “excited to pass the baton” to Consuelos, also 52.

Seacrest officially stepped down in April, with the Riverdale actor filling his shoes on set. One month later, the Emmy winner returned to Live as a guest — and poked fun at the show’s new chapter.

“I got out just in the nick of time,” he teased in May. “I have to say, I’ve been watching, you guys are so great together. I love it. I love Mark doing the teases, I love the promos I see, I love the games.”

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The producer went on to joke that he’s discovered a “fascinating thing called time” since leaving the morning show behind. “So what I do is the alarm chimes in the morning, it’s like a soft nudge,” he said of his new daytime routine. “I walk through the forest and I look for the beans of coffee. I take them back, I roast them. I milk my almonds and I make a latte. Now, it’s noon.”