Ryan Seacrest is a veteran in what he does. With over 30 years working in the entertainment industry, he knows a thing or two about the nerve-wracking and tense situations that can happen during live TV. In fact, his most recent memory occurred last year during the “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

Close to midnight, the 47-year-old Atlanta native started to introduce Jennifer Lopez’s performance, when all of a sudden, he noticed that there was something significant happening behind the cameras. The presentation got delayed a few minutes before the midnight countdown, and Seacrest had to improvise.

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“I was running out of information from my Jennifer Lopez almanac, and on the inside, I was a little panicked,” says Seacrest, as reported by USA Today. “But the set finally started, we pulled it off and Jennifer Lopez delivered.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of America’s go-to annual New Year’s tradition that celebrates the year’s very best in music. The most-watched New Year’s Eve celebration nationwide, featuring iconic performances of the year’s biggest songs, airs LIVE Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. EST/PST on ABC.

Once again, Seacrest, celebrities, staff, and the production team will work through New York City’s frigid temperatures to bring joy and entertainment to all viewers while also keeping in mind the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its variants.

New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would safely drop the iconic Times Square ball with fewer revelers.

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Last year was the first time Seacrest hosted the show with a limited crowd due to COVID-19. According to the host, seeing the streets nearly empty impacted him. “I thought I’d feel fine, but I misjudged it. I was struggling at times to create the energy I wanted with the pictures of what was happening,” says Seacrest. “It really emotionally impacted me.”

Although for 2021’s show, streets might not be as packed, Ryan Seacrest will not be alone onstage. The host will share his duties with Liza Koshy, Billy Porter, and Ciara, while Roselyn Sanchez and Daddy Yankee will be co-hosting live from Puerto Rico, as we previously announced.

Seacrest has been the full-time host since 2007 after Dick Clark had a stroke. And presenting the show for 17 years is never enough time to get used to the city’s freezing weather. “It’s not the cold, but the duration,” says Seacrest. “By the third hour, it begins to wear thin. When it’s really cold, my brain still works, but my mouth moves more slowly.”

The also radio host knows that a working brain won’t help him from the unexpected live TV moments. “We don’t know what’s gonna happen. This is the most elaborate stage in live television because it‘s several stages covering whole New York City blocks,” says Seacrest. “It’s part of the show’s excitement. We are in control, but not totally in control, every time.”

The “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” with Ryan Seacrest 2022 will include performances by Don Omar, Avril Lavigne, Travis Barker, Big Boi, Sleepy Brown, French Montana, Måneskin, Mae Muller, Polo G, Masked Wolf, OneRepublic, Daddy Yankee, and many more.

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Ryan Seacrest is one of the most beloved, influential, and respected producers, tv, and radio hosts; however, now there are no amount of accomplishments that can replace his desire to become a father. The media mainstay recently opened up about starting a family with a 24-year-old girlfriend, Aubrey Paige.

The 46-year-old star admitted he does “want to have kids” despite his mother thinks she won’t be becoming a grandmother. The Live With Kelly and Ryan co-host started dating Paige in May 2021 after splitting from her longtime on and off girlfriend, Shayna Taylor.