Rumours that Ryan Seacrest had suffered a stroke on live TV last Sunday began circulating on social media after his speech was slurred and his right eye appeared swollen and nearly closed while hosting the American Idol Season 18 finale.
Following a performance from the show’s final 11 contestants and British actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, the virtual broadcast cut back to Seacrest, 45, who began fumbling over his words and pausing in-between sentences.
“Cynthia Erivo and the Top 11 right there. You can catch her playing Aretha Franklin on the National Geographic limited series, Genius: Aretha, premiering this fall,” he said while stumbling.
Additionally, Seacrest was absent from his daily duties as co-host to Kelly Ripa on ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan the following morning.
“Ryan did not have any kind of stroke last night,” the representative wrote. “Like many people right now, Ryan is adjusting to the new normal and finding work-home balance, with the added stress of having to put on live shows from home.”
On top of American Idol and Live with Kelly and Ryan, Seacrest hosts the much-beloved On Air with Ryan Seacrest radio show and Disney’s Family Singalong specials.
Before Seacrest’s assurance that he did not have a stroke, many were concerned about the celebrity’s well-being, with some even suggesting that he go see a doctor.
A nurse tweeted: “Ryan Seacrest did something awkward with his left arm, the left side of his face looked paralyzed, and his speech was slurred. I pray he’s okay.”
Here’s what some other Twitter users had to say:
Some other people, however, suggested that some fans were overreacting to Seacrest’s “exhaustion.”
“Eye twitches can be caused by stress and we should all know that delays are happening because technology isn’t perfect when it comes to video, lighting, computers and audio,” tweeted another.
“Now we can all chill,” they added, suggesting it was merely a technical issue.
For information regarding signs of a stroke or treatments and how to react when someone is experiencing one, you can visit Canada’s official Heart and Stroke Foundation’s website.
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