Ryan Seacrest was first offered to join as judge on 'American Idol'

Ryan Seacrest has revealed that he was originally considered as a judge for American Idol before he became the longtime host of the show.

Ryan Seacrest, who was a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, said that producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick heard him on the radio in Los Angeles and thought he might be a good fit for the judging panel.

However, Seacrest was more interested in auditioning to be the host, and after a successful audition, he got the job. He has been the host for 21 seasons and counting, from the first three judges to the current lineup of Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie.

“I guess Simon [Cowell] was already on board, and I don’t know who else at that point,” he added. “And I was like, ‘Well, wait a minute. I would love to audition to be the host.’ And so I auditioned eventually to be the host. And I got the job. So I’m happy to still have the job.”

Seacrest also discussed how American Idol has changed over the years, revealing that contestants now train for the audition from a young age.