Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest is the instantly recognisable presenter of American Idol. He's been the presenter of the show since it launched in 2002.

Seacrest is an accomplished television and radio host and has his own hugely popular show On Air With Ryan Seacrest on KIIS-FM. He also hosts E! News, a celebrity gossip magazine show on the E! channel.

Biography/Timeline

1974 - Born Ryan John Seacrest on 24 December 1974 to parents Constance Marie and Gary Lee Seacrest.

1993 - Attended University of Georgia where he hosted his first radio show. Seacrest also hosted Radical Outdoor Challenge for ESPN.

2000 - Became the host for an NBC show, Saturday Night At The Movies, in which he gave film trivia before the commercial breaks.

2002 - Seacrest became the co-host of the first series of American Idol with comedian Brian Dunkleman. Dunkleman was dropped after the first series and Seacrest became the sole host for subsequent series.

2003 - Caused controversy when he ripped open comedian Kathy Griffin's blouse at the American Music Awards, exposing her bra. Also hosted a spin-off show to American Idol called American Juniors.

2004 - Launched a television show called On Air With Ryan Seacrest, which lasted for nine months before it was cancelled due to low ratings. He also took over from [[Casey Kasem]] as host of American Top 40. He also started a radio show in February 2004, also called On Air With Ryan Seacrest on KIIS-FM, which is still on air today.

2005 - Hosted Celebration of Freedom concert in Washington, DC in January. In August it was announced that Ryan would become the executive producer and co-host of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and would eventually replace Clark as the host of the show. Receives a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

2006 - Wins a Daytime Emmy Award in April for co-hosting the 2005 Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade.

2007 - Appears in comedy movie Knocked Up and becomes the producer of the E! reality TV series Keeping Up With The Kardashians. On 16 September 2007, Seacrest presents the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.

2008 - Executive produces the E! reality show Denise Richards: It's Complicated. He was also named as executive producer on an NBC dating show called Momma's Boys.

2009 - Signs contract with CKX worth $45 million, which makes him the highest paid host of a reality television show to date.

Romantic life

There has been plenty of speculation about Ryan Seacrest's sexuality, with many people claiming he's privately gay. However, he began a two-year romance with Shana Wall in 2003, with the two of them dismissing the rumours, saying Seacrest is a metrosexual who simply enjoys shopping and clothes.

He has also been photographed kissing Desperate Housewives star [[Teri Hatcher]]. However, according to Hatcher, he felt uncomfortable being photographed with her and broke off the relationship before it even got started.