Ryan Seacrest is now not a morning individual.
The 48-year-old mentioned farewell to Stay With Kelly and Ryan on Friday after internet hosting alongside Kelly Ripa for practically six years. It was an action-packed send-off, with the present dubbed “Bye Bye, Ry Ry,” as they shared “Ryan Moments” by the years whereas his mother and father, sister and girlfriend seemed on within the viewers. The episode, stuffed with tears and laughs, additionally included a VIP visitor — first woman Jill Biden — and Ripa’s new co-host, her husband Mark Consuelos, who arrived on the finish, wheeling in a cake.
“Kelly turned the nook and mentioned, ‘Oh my gosh — am I going to cry?'” Seacrest mentioned on the prime of the present. “I mentioned, ‘Possibly — as a result of I’m.'”
Ripa added, “We promised ourselves that we might not do that as a result of it’s a nice day of celebration round right here.”
And that is actually what it was. There have been so many flashback moments, together with Seacrest’s first ever look on the present in 2005 earlier than he was host. Then they revisited highlights from when he began the job, on Could 1, 2017, by his final day — movies of Seacrest dancing, dressed up in many alternative costumes and out and about experiencing NYC as an L.A. transplant. Followers even voted on their favourite second of him on the present, which was when he fell over in his seat making an attempt to get a balloon (the clip performed no less than three completely different occasions).
Michael Bublé made a pre-recorded video for him — and so did Seacrest’s niece, Flora, stealing the present. Biden, there to advertise efforts with navy households, got here out telling Seacrest, “We’re actually going to overlook you.” Earlier than the trio joked about whether or not Stay ever actually performed on the White Home. (She kindly insisted sure.)
Whereas there have been so many cute and foolish flashbacks, it was actually the phrases of reward forwards and backwards between the co-hosts that stood out. Ripa made Seacrest snicker and cry, describing him as her “youthful brother/oldest son,” speaking about their “dependent relationship” and evaluating him a Bloomin’ onion together with his “layers upon layers” of goodness, kindness, appeal, brilliance, authenticity and generosity. She teased him about his love of the nice life, satin mattress sheets and particular espresso, in addition to his pre-show vocal warmups that need to be heard to be believed.
A part of her speech was saying that the present reserves the correct to troll him on all social media platforms. She additionally mentioned to the infamous bachelor— as his girlfriend, Aubrey Paige, sat within the viewers — that they’re going to hold their mailing addresses the identical “in case there’s ever a marriage invitation.”
However there was a lot love. She mentioned that Seacrest — as American Idol host and on his radio present — has all the time highlighted the abilities of others throughout his profession. “However on our present, I really feel such as you received to point out off your immeasurable skills to the world, to our viewers, to our viewers.”
Ripa thanked him for being “fantastic, “certainly one of a sort” and “an authentic genuine addition to this present. She mentioned, “You’re ceaselessly our household. We are going to by no means say goodbye to you. We are going to solely say, ‘See you quickly’ and ‘We love you.'”
Seacrest joked that there’s “no person on the planet that may have you ever … laughing and crying in 2 seconds” as Ripa each celebrated and roasted him.
“Hear, I am a really fortunate man,” he mentioned. “I would like you all to know it isn’t misplaced on me how lucky I’m — lucky to have this seat subsequent to you, Kel, for six years. You are incomparable. There isn’t any one such as you.” And whereas he is “spent my whole profession speaking,” he mentioned, “right this moment it is laborious to place into phrases how deeply I’ve appreciated being right here and being with you. Being invited into your properties each day to attempt to ship a smile or amusing or two.”
He praised the producers and crew, saying of Stay, “This can be a particular place. There is not any place like this on tv. I received to be taught that.” He added that he actually does “really feel like a member of the family” to Ripa, “And we’ll have that ceaselessly.”
After Kelly introduced Seacrest with Stay With Kelly and Ryan swag, together with two present indicators, the present concluded with a Champagne toast with Seacrest’s mother and father, Connie and Gary, sister Meredith and girlfriend on the stage. At that second, Consuelos appeared, rolling out a cake that seemed like a sardine field.
Consuelos mentioned he’ll always remember Seacrest calling him after he was tapped to be his successor. He mentioned Seacrest supplied him his “assist and assurance.” He advised him, “I really like you.”
“Congratulations,” Seacrest replied, as he ceremoniously handed his morning mug to his alternative, saying, “It’ll be enjoyable to observe.”
On Feb. 16, Seacrest introduced his departure from the long-running morning present for which he and Ripa gained the Emmy for Excellent Leisure Speak Present Host in 2019. He mentioned, “After I signed on to host Stay in 2017 it was meant to be for 3 years, however I beloved the job and dealing with Kelly a lot that I prolonged my time and final 12 months I made the choice to remain on for yet another ultimate season.”
The identical day, Consuelos was introduced as his alternative. The Riverdale actor begins, alongside his spouse, on Monday.
Seacrest’s goodbye marked a reasonably good farewell present, particularly for Ripa, whose final two co-hosts blindsided her with their exits. Regis Philbin, who Ripa labored with from 2001 to 2011, did not inform her he deliberate to announce his retirement on the air, leaving her surprised. Michael Strahan was employed as Phibin’s alternative in 2012, however left the present in 2016 to affix Good Morning America, which Ripa wasn’t consulted about.
Ripa advised Yahoo Leisure final 12 months that she discovered a “distinctive working state of affairs” with Seacrest “as a result of we have now had a 20-year friendship. We do know one another’s ideas and we do perceive how the opposite individual thinks and the place their limits are and the place the road is.” In addition they trip along with their companions and Seacrest is near her kids, who take into account him a “funcle” she mentioned on Friday’s present.
Seacrest will proceed internet hosting Idol and his radio present, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, in addition to producing, together with The Kardashians. He additionally runs his Ryan Seacrest Basis, which was spotlighted on Friday’s present, which builds broadcast media facilities in pediatric hospitals for sufferers to discover radio and TV from their hospital rooms.
