Ryan Seacrest Breaks Down in Tears, Reveals Father’s Cancer Battle: ‘I Know He’s Gonna Get Through This’

In a stunning and uncharacteristically vulnerable moment, Ryan Seacrest—one of the busiest and most polished figures in entertainment—paused his usual upbeat energy to share heartbreaking news: his beloved father is currently battling cancer.

Seacrest, 50, made the emotional revelation during a recent live broadcast, his voice cracking and eyes welling with tears as he tried to hold himself together. “It’s been a tough few months,” he said quietly. “My dad… he’s fighting cancer. And he’s fighting hard.”

A Public Figure, A Private Pain

Ryan Seacrest has built a career on being the ever-smiling host, the smooth voice on radio, and the unshakeable anchor of American Idol, Live with Kelly and Ryan, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. But in recent months, fans have noticed subtle changes—his absence from certain shows, a shift in tone during interviews, even a certain heaviness in his presence.

Now, the pieces are falling into place. His father’s diagnosis has rocked the Seacrest family, and Ryan is feeling the weight of it.

“Watching someone you love go through this—there are no words,” he said, tears falling freely. “But I know my dad. He’s strong. He’s a fighter. And I know he’s gonna get through this.”

The Man Behind the Microphone

Ryan’s father, Gary Seacrest, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant, has always been a quiet source of strength in the star’s life. Over the years, Ryan has spoken lovingly of his dad’s discipline, humor, and unwavering support. Their bond has been a grounding force behind Ryan’s meteoric rise in Hollywood.

In 2017, during a Father’s Day tribute on Live, Ryan tearfully thanked his dad for teaching him the value of hard work and resilience—traits Ryan is clearly leaning on now.

“Everything I’ve accomplished, everything I’ve worked for, I owe to the foundation he gave me,” Seacrest said. “Now it’s my turn to be strong for him.”

Fans and Celebs Rally in Support

The moment quickly went viral. Clips of Seacrest’s emotional admission flooded social media, prompting an outpouring of support from fans and fellow celebrities.

Kelly Ripa, his former co-host on Live, posted a heartfelt message: “Sending love, strength, and healing to the entire Seacrest family. Gary is a hero and a fighter.”

Others followed suit. Jennifer Lopez, Lionel Richie, and Katy Perry—his American Idol colleagues—shared their well-wishes publicly, with Richie calling Gary “an incredible man who raised one of the hardest-working people I know.”

How This Could Shift Ryan’s Future

Seacrest’s emotional state has many wondering: will the media giant step back from his packed schedule to focus on his family?

In recent years, there’s been growing speculation about whether Ryan, who juggles multiple high-profile gigs, might be on the verge of slowing down. He left Live with Kelly and Ryan in 2023, citing a desire to return to the West Coast and a need for more personal time.

Now, with his father’s health taking center stage, it’s possible we’ll see more changes in Ryan’s career—perhaps fewer commitments, or a long-anticipated shift toward producing rather than hosting.

Sources close to Seacrest say he’s “taking things day by day” and “spending as much time with his family as possible.”

A Message of Hope

Despite the pain, Ryan remains focused on optimism. “We’re leaning on each other,” he said. “And on our faith. My dad has so much love around him, and that gives him strength. We believe in miracles.”

He ended the broadcast by thanking fans for their support and asking for prayers. “I’ve always tried to be the guy who brings light into people’s lives. Now, I could use a little of that light back.”

It was a raw, honest moment from a man usually defined by polish—and perhaps his most powerful one yet.

If you or someone you love is facing cancer, you’re not alone. For resources, support, and hope, visit cancer.org or speak with a health professional today.

Ryan Seacrest is getting candid.

Seacrest, 50, got emotional and teared up during a July 21 broadcast of “On Air With Ryan Seacrest,” while talking about his father, Gary Seacrest, 80, who is battling prostate cancer.

During the radio program, the “American Idol” host confessed that he’s “never really spoken about this.”

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Ryan Seacrest gets emotional on the July 21 episode of “On Air With Ryan Seacrest.”onairwithryan/Instagram

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Ryan Seacrest talked about his father, Gary Seacrest, 80, who is battling prostate cancer.onairwithryan/Instagram

The “Wheel of Fortune” host had previously talked about his father’s health, but hadn’t shared many details or personal feelings about it until now.

In a 2021 Instagram post, he said that Gary had been “battling cancer for several years.”

At the time, they thought it was “no longer detectable,” but on Monday’s episode he tearfully admitted that his father’s cancer “got worse and it spread.”

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The “American Idol” host has rarely spoken about his father’s health.Ryan Seacrest/Instagram
The former “Live with Kelly and Ryan” co-host said that when this happens to a loved one, it’s “a hard thing to see, because the treatments that are commonly recommended can be barbaric to the system. They can cause so much damage to your body in other ways.”

Gary also got pneumonia while undergoing chemotherapy, Ryan said.

During “American Idol” last season, he said that his sister, Meredith, called him to say, “Dad is in the ICU,” and “How fast can you get here?”

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Seacrest recalled flying to Atlanta where his father was in a hospital right after the finale of “American Idol” on May 18.Disney via Getty Images
After he finished “American Idol,” he recalled flying to Atlanta to go to the hospital.

“The night that I got there, the conversation they were having with [my father] about an emergency surgery was a life or death conversation, and I’ve never seen my strong, very smart father with the look on his face that he had — and the concern, and looking at me to help guide what decisions should be made in this moment,” Ryan said.

Gary decided not to have surgery, but Ryan stuck around at the time and broadcast “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” from his Atlanta hotel.

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Ryan Seacrest and his sister, Meredith, his dad, Gary, and his mom, Connie, in a photo from 2021.ryanseacrest/Instagram
“When you see a parent suffering and when you see them going through this and you don’t understand it yourself, you’re just listening to all the different doctors and trying to make sense of what they’re trying to suggest and do,” he said.

The “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” host said about his father: “He could not get up to sit. He could not eat. He could not drink water. He could not go to the bathroom. Weeks go by in ICU and finally he began to get some strength back.”

Ryan’s mother, Connie, is also in remission after a cancer battle, which made him want to help out more, he added.

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Ryan Seacrest revealed that his dad spent weeks in the ICU.ryanseacrest/Instagram
“I needed her to take a break,” Seacrest said. “When you’re a kid, no one tells you how to handle this with your parents.”

He added that his parents have been married “for over 55 years. They’ve got each other and the pneumonia is gone, but his cancer is not.”

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Ryan Seacrest’s mother, Connie, is also in remission after a cancer battle, he said on his podcast.ryanseacrest/Instagram
Gary was released earlier this month and is home in Atlanta, the prolific TV host said.

He revealed that he’s flown from Los Angeles to Atlanta every weekend to visit his father, who struggled to stand up from his chair.

Getting emotional and saying, “I’m embarrassed,” Ryan added, “I got the most powerful, good, happy picture from my dad and my mother, who was with him. They went to a beach to sit outside. They just went to look at the water. They can’t do much, but I saw him smile. I saw my mom smile.”

Ryan ended by saying, “Cancer affects every one of us in some ways. And it sucks. And the treatments suck … treatments are tough. But I know he’s going to get through this.”