Ryan Seacrest continues his march towards total media domination. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a new deal cut with NBCUniversal will have the American Idol host continuing to man Red Carpet shows in 2015 (previous reports speculated that he’d give up those thankless gigs).
In addition, a separate deal to host and executive produce the CBS live special, Fashion Rocks, will dovetail into the fall launch of his Macy’s Fashion line, Ryan Seacrest Distinction collection, that will include tailored suits and accessories.
The new CBS deal means that Ryan will have partnerships with all 4 major networks, including American Idol on FOX and New Year’s Rockin Eve on ABC.
One gig not part of his NBCU deal is a commitment to NBC news, including the Today Show and NBC sports. However, he is negotiating to be part of the next Olympics broadcast in Rio in 2016, as he was with the London games in 2012.
On his fashion line, Ryan told THR, “I’m certainly not a designer, but I do enjoy the process of picking out a great suit and putting a tie with it, and then adding cufflinks and the tie clip. This is a chance to curate some cool, classic styles that start with suits and accessories but could eventually grow into other lifestyle opportunities.”
Ryan is planning a live radio broadcast from Herald Square just before fashion week to promote the CBS special and his Macy’s line.
On continuing with American Idol (yesterday, FOX announced his and the judges return) despite falling ratings, Ryan said that the show was “part of his DNA.” He loves the format, the chemistry of the returning judges–Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr.–and still thinks it’s a great platform for both young people and music. He still believes Idol has “incredible potential” to grow its audience next season.
Read more at The Hollywood Reporter
