Ryan Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is a prolific American television host and producer, best known today as the host of Wheel of Fortune, a role he took over from Pat Sajak in September 2024. He first rose to fame as the sole host of American Idol from 2003 (after co-hosting in 2002) through its original run in 2016, later returning for the ABC revival, while also hosting Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve since 2005, becoming sole host after Clark's death in 2012. His career also includes co-hosting Live with Kelly and Ryan, hosting the radio countdown American Top 40, and a variety of early game shows, but his path began at age 16 when he won a radio internship in Atlanta, leading him to leave the University of Georgia at 19 to move to Los Angeles. Seacrest's success has been rewarded with numerous Emmy nominations for American Idol and a win for Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution in 2010, as well as record-breaking contracts, including a $45 million deal in 2009 that made him the highest-paid reality TV host at the time. Beyond hosting, he is a major producer and media mogul, with his work on Live with Kelly and Ryan earning further Emmy nominations in 2018, cementing his status as a staple of American entertainment.