Ryan Seacrest’s Oscars red carpet ratings drop 43% from 2017
Ryan Seacrest’s coverage of the Academy Awards red carpet arrivals for E! on Sunday took a significant hit in the Nielsen ratings.
E!’s red carpet coverage, which Seacrest hosted, averaged a 0.4 rating in adults 18-49 and 1.3 million viewers. That is down approximately 43% in the key demographic and approximately 35% in total viewers compared to its coverage in 2017. The drop-off also coincides with the Oscars hitting a new low in viewership, with the nearly three-hour telecast drawing 26.5 million viewers for ABC, down 19% from last year.
However, the “Live With Kelly and Ryan” post-Oscars show put up its best numbers since Seacrest joined the show last May. It drew a 3.0 rating in metered market households, making it the top syndicated talk show on Monday.
As Variety reported last week , Seacrest has been accused of multiple incidents of sexual harassment and assault by Suzie Hardy during the six years that she was his stylist on “E! News.” Seacrest has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Hardy worked as Seacrest’s “E! News” personal stylist from 2006 to 2013, during which time she said Seacrest subjected her to consistent unwanted sexual aggression. Hardy accused Seacrest of groping her vagina, grinding his erect penis against her while clad only in his underwear, and at one point slapping her buttock so hard that it left a large welt still visible hours later.
A former “E! News” employee told Variety that he witnessed the latter two incidents.
E! chose to stand behind Seacrest and keep him on the carpet in the wake of the accusations. He is also still set to host ABC’s revival of “American Idol,” which will debut this Sunday, March 11.
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