Ryan Seacrest to Have Role in NBC Olympics Coverage, Plans to Stay at ‘Idol'

Host/producer spoke with Matt Lauer on NBC's ‘Today' on Wednesday

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/4/2012 8:33:05 AM

Ryan Seacrest finally appeared on NBC's Today show Wednesday morning after recovery from elbow surgery delayed his first scheduled visit and announced he would be joining the NBC family as part of its primetime coverage of the Summer Olympics.

"It's been something that I've been very much looking forward to and I'll be doing a lot of fun things at NBC and this is the first of it, the Olympics," Seacrest said.

He said he would continue to have a role at E!, where he currently hosts E! News, though did not specify what that role would be (his production shingle also produces the Keeping Up With the Kardashians franchise for the network).

In an interview on the show, Matt Lauer pressed Seacrest to say what conversations he has had with NBCUniversal about becoming part of Today, alluding to press reports that Seacrest could one day take over Lauer's job, though Seacrest said that any conversations were, "mostly about filling in to do weather."

When Lauer asked if Seacrest could see himself being a Today anchor someday he replied, "I don't know. I see you doing this for as long as you want to."

For his part, Lauer told Seacrest "I think you'd be great at this job," adding, "There is no tension here" between the two.

As for the other part of Seacrest's career up the air, his hosting gig on American Idol, he said Wednesday he plans to stay there, saying, "I think I'll have an official announcement very, very soon."