Friday marked Ryan Seacrest’s final appearance on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” and naturally, it was an emotional morning. Seacrest began crying almost as soon as he hit the stage, and choked even more back as he bid his final farewell.
In the final minutes of the show, Seacrest acknowledged just how “very lucky” he is to have the career he does, and made a point to first praise his now-former co-host.
“Listen, I am a very lucky guy. I’m a very lucky man Kelly,” he said. “I want you all to know it’s not lost on me how fortunate I am. Fortunate to have had the seat next to you Kel, for six years. You’re incomparable. There’s no one like you.”
As Seacrest continued, he visibly fought back tears as he added that he is “fortunate to have this job where I get to talk and laugh and screw things up and do all those things you just saw,” as well as connect with audiences nationwide.
“I’ve spent my entire career — I was thinking about this — talking,” he continued. “Talking on the radio, talking on television. Words are my bread and butter. It’s my wheelhouse. But today, it’s hard to put into words how deeply I’ve appreciated being here, and being with you, being invited into your homes every day to try and deliver a smile, or a laugh or two. I’m honored to be part of this family.”
You can watch Ryan Seacrest’s full farewell in the video above.
