Ryan Seacrest in talks for more ‘American Idol,’ but will he stay?

Without Ryan Seacrest, we don’t necessarily feel like there is an “American Idol” anymore. He’s the only person on the show who has been on-camera since the beginning. Not only that, but he hasn’t even had the same primary showrunners the entire time he has been there. If there is one thing that we have learned in watching Mario Lopez stumble through “The X Factor” or most of the “Dancing with the Stars” co-hosts ask awkward questions, it is that this is the most undervalued gig in the TV business. The potential to fall flat on your face is so high.

All of this sets up further why it is so imperative that Ryan sticks around to provide that familiar face, and to not worry that someone is going to screw up the show (beyond the contestants and the judges, at least). According to Variety, Ryan is in talks to do more of the Fox series, but is also still trying to figure out his future with NBC. In case you forgot (which is understandable, given how little he has done there as of late), he has a multi-year deal with the Peacock Network expiring this year that let him do more on “The Today Show.”

This is where the crossroads will come for Ryan. Does he really want to go back to a show that is losing its ratings luster over time, or go into a new direction for his career? He’s already wealthy enough, and will continue to make money either way thanks to his production company. In the end, the greatest motivation for Ryan to stay on the show may just be the sole fact that he feels some sort of loyalty to the show, which helped him become a star and a global success in the first place.

In scaling things back for a minute, click here if you want to read more about some of the exciting stuff that “American Idol” has on the way this season. Also, sign up now to get further updates worth singing about from our CarterMatt Newsletter.

Photo: Fox