American Idol host, Ryan Seacrest, just sealed a $45 million three-year deal with
Fox reported to be the richest pact ever for a reality host, according to
Perez.
Seacrest executed a major new three-year deal with
CKX, parent of "
Idol" producer
19 Entertainment, estimated to be worth $15 million per year.
Under the pact, the reality host is committing to be exclusive to
CKX in broadcast TV primetime to host "Idol" or any CKX-produced show that might succeed it.
In the meantime, Seacrest has a separate cable deal with
Comcast and is
E! Entertainment's lead anchor. He also produces such shows as
E!'s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and
ABC's upcoming Jamie Oliver reality series.
The deal, which had been in the works for the past several weeks, provides Seacrest with an enormous salary increase, more than trippling his previous pay reported to be slightly less than $5 million per season.
The new pact was announced Monday morning. Meanwhile "
Idol" producers 19,
FremantleMedia North America and
Fox all declined to comment on Seacrest's new deal, as did his attorneys at Hansen Jacobson.
Now "
Idol" producers will focus on securing the show's judges for next season. While the ratings have slipped in the past couple of years, "
Idol" , nevertheless, remains the highest-rated series on television.
