The transformation of Ryan Seacrest’s face had everyone talking before his big New Year’s special. To promote the “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” show, Seacrest appeared on “Good Morning America” on December 30. He sported a cocoa-brown turtleneck underneath a tan leather jacket for his interview. The “American Idol” host spoke about the eight-hour-long New Year’s Eve show he was hosting alongside Rita Ora, and which musical guests would be performing.

However, it wasn’t just his hosting duties that sparked conversation. In March 2025, an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” left fans speculating about Seacrest’s demeanor. One viewer took to Reddit, suggesting that Seacrest appeared particularly sluggish, even going so far as to suggest he “looked high” during the broadcast. This observation opened a floodgate of comments from other viewers who expressed concern over the rapid changes in his facial appearance. Comments ranged from noticing pronounced eye bags to describing him as looking “old and run down.” As one user pointed out, “The last two episodes he has looked really old and run down, like different than normal. Heavy eye bags, weathered etc.,” echoing the sentiment of many others who chimed in.

One viewer thought that Seacrest’s gaunt appearance could have been due to personal issues. “Didn’t he have a death in his family?” they asked. As Seacrest noted in an Instagram post, his father died in October 2025. The loss was clearly weighing on his mind, as he mentioned it during another interview promoting the ABC New Year’s countdown show. “This was a tough year. I lost my best friend,” he told Variety on December 31. Unfortunately, even before his dad died, everyone was worried about Seacrest.

Following an episode of “Wheel of Fortune” that aired in March 2025, one fan thought Ryan Seacrest seemed especially lethargic. Taking to Reddit, they theorized that the TV host “looked high” during the episode. Other Redditors noted that Seacrest’s face was rapidly aging before their eyes. “The last two episodes he has looked really old and run down, like different than normal. Heavy eye bags, weathered etc.,” a user replied. “Ryan did look weathered,” another added. That was far from an isolated incident, as many viewers have been perplexed about Seacrest’s seemingly ever-changing facial features.

Later in the year, viewers were worried about the host’s altered appearance again, but this time some fans thought it was because Seacrest had gone overboard with facial plastic surgery. “Wheel of Fortune” uploaded a clip to Instagram in October that featured the host interacting with celebrity contestant Malin Ackerman. Viewers noticed that Seacrest looked thinner than usual, and his cheekbones were more pronounced. “For the love of Christ, someone guide Ryan out of the darkness. His deterioration is heartbreaking,” an Instagram user pleaded. The worries were not strictly confined to Seacrest overdoing it with cosmetic procedures. “Why is Ryan’s cheek bone protruding ???? Does not look healthy,” another fan wrote.

Whether it’s due to going under the knife too frequently or stress from personal issues, fans have certainly noticed how Seacrest’s face has changed.