Ryan Seacrest already seemed like one of the busiest men in showbiz between his American Idol hosting duties and leading the game on Wheel of Fortune, but apparently having a busy work schedule doesn't mean skipping gym days. The former Live with Ryan and Kelly co-lead took to social media to show off his workout now that American Idol is back in gear in the 2026 TV schedule. Let it not be said that he doesn't have his priorities, because he included "hair" among the muscle groups he's targeting!
You wouldn't necessarily think that hosting American Idol would be the most physically demanding job in Hollywood, but Luke Bryan recently shared that there's a lot of work that Seacrest puts in that viewers never see. Check out the routine that keeps him in great physical shape:
Well, working out to "Neverender" by Justice & Tame Impala isn't quite as on-brand for Ryan Seacrest training for American Idol as if he'd posted the video to the tune of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This," but whatever gets the heart pumping works! For longtime fans of the host, the video also gives a rare look at the back of his hair from above. Considering he always looks camera-ready for Idol, Wheel of Fortune, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, and more, it was a bold move to share this video.
While Seacrest isn't exactly doing lunges or lifts in the middle of an episode of American Idol on ABC (or streaming next day with a Hulu subscription), stamina is surely a factor. The auditions may only take a couple of hours per week for viewers to watch the process, but a lot more work goes into it that involves Ryan Seacrest. It's impressive that the host ever has time to sleep.
The wordless workout video is certainly a shift from some of his other recent posts, including his invention of his version of Charcuterie Chips, a.k.a. pimentos, capers, canned sardines, and lemon zest all piled into a bag of unsalted chips that was sliced open. Take a look:
The commenters on the video seemed to be split on whether this looks delicious or disgusting, but it was enough for him to be the target of American Idol supervising digital producer Adam Davis' "hot take snack" of a banana, peanut butter, and crushed Cool Ranch Doritos on Instagram. Seacrest was a good sport about it... although in fairness, banana and peanut butter is already a pretty conventional combination!
That video was posted shortly before Seacrest was ready to show off his workout video, so it's entertaining to go from one to the other. The American Idol host has been rolling with the punches going back to the very beginning when he shared the screen with Brian Dunkleman. At this point, it seems like he's willing to try just about anything at least once, including a multi-step workout routine that shows off some intensity that fans don't often see on the ABC competition show.
Tune in to ABC on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET to see Ryan Seacrest in action as longtime host of American Idol. Don't count on seeing him wordlessly working out in athletic wear on the show, but I think it's a safe bet fans will be able to appreciate the "hair" part of his "Arms. Legs. Hair. Repeat." approach.
