Ryan Seacrest left the audience stunned when he made an unexpected choice to host American Idol without shoes, marking a first in his extensive career as a television host.

The 51-year-old television veteran took this daring step on Monday night’s episode, with cameras capturing his bare feet as he moved energetically across the stage.

Seacrest revealed that his unique decision was inspired by contestant Kyndal Inskeep, sharing with Entertainment Tonight, “I’ve never hosted the show barefoot before.”

He explained his motivation, saying, “I wanted to feel more grounded,” and humorously mentioned spending $42 on a pedicure, adding that he wanted to “show off” his feet.

Reactions from viewers were mixed, with some expressing their disapproval. One viewer commented, “Ryan Seacrest truly has ugly feet,” accompanied by a GIF of Jim Carrey gagging in Dumb and Dumber.

Another person reacted to a social media post about his barefoot appearance, exclaiming, “This guy’s lost his mind! Take him off Wheel of Fortune too! He’s terrible!”

Ryan Seacrest left viewers agog as he hosted American Idol barefoot for the first time this week, as he bounded around the stage with Kyndal Inskeep

‘I wanted to feel grounded,’ he said, adding that he had just ‘spent 42 bucks’ on a pedicure and now wanted to ‘show’ his feet ‘off’

Seacrest’s appearance became a subject of fevered speculation when fans observed his newly gaunt complexion on Wheel of Fortune at the start of this year.

‘That’s Ryan Seacrest??? No way. Absolutely no way,’ wrote one fan on X, where another marveled: ‘Wow, Ryan Seacrest looks….different.’ 

Although the change came amid the Ozempic craze sweeping showbiz, Seacrest has not publicly confessed to taking any weight-loss medication.

Nevertheless his rawboned appearance on Wheel of Fortune prompted one viewer to tweet: ‘Why are so many people in Hollywood suddenly starting to look like this?’

Others leapt to his defense, such as an X user who wrote: ‘Ryan Seacrest has always been tiny, so I’m not sure that he looks any different other than older.’

‘Ryan Seacrest is 51 years old and never fat, looks good for his age,’ another opined. ‘Why is everyone saying ozempic? lol so stupid.’

Last July, he had posted pictures of himself looking noticeably thinner than before, to the point that observers began remarking that he was ‘getting too skinny’ and looking ‘frail,’ with one fretting: ‘Please tell me you’re not on the skinny drugs too.’

In the wake of the outcry, a source told the Daily Mail that Seacrest had posted the images under the impression they ‘made him look good.’

Seacrest, pictured the day before he hosted the latest Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in New York, has drawn attention for his gaunt features in recent months

Many viewers were distinctly unimpressed, such as one who wrote: ‘Ryan Seacrest truly has ugly feet,’ with a GIF of Jim Carrey gagging in Dumb and Dumber

By November, he posted a weight-lifting Instagram video that had commenters gushing over how ‘jacked’ and ‘shredded’ he appeared.

In December, however, an X user raised the alarm again, worrying: ‘Is it just me or does Ryan Seacrest look like he should eat more? Kinda gaunt!’

Seacrest has discussed the importance of fitness to his life, remarking in 2024 that he was ‘over-exercising, eating better, over-training’ ahead of his 50th birthday.

‘I’m doing everything I can to make myself feel like I’m not 50,’ he confessed while speaking to his sister Meredith for Entertainment Tonight. 

A few years before, he revealed that he had taken up intermittent fasting, ‘which I find actually helps with my energy level,’ on an episode of what was then Live! with Kelly and Ryan, the morning talk-show he hosted at the time with Kelly Ripa.