In just a few hours, New York’s Times Square will turn into a sea of people celebrating the end of 2023 and the start of 2024. And at the center of it all is television personality Ryan Seacrest. Hosting Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024, the star welcomes Rita Ora to the stage as co-host. It’s his 19th time hosting the event; it’s her first. While a historic moment in a historic city, it isn’t the first time that Ora and Seacrest met.
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After Ora agreed to host the event, she decided to celebrate the milestone with a nice meal. According to Seacrest, he just happened to be at the same restaurant at the same time. He recalled the surprise double date to People. “As soon as [Rita] closed her deal to host the show, we independently—completely randomly—sat next to each other at the same restaurant in L.A.. So, we already did a four-top toast.”
Remembering her surprise to see Seacrest sitting beside her, Ora joked, “It was a sign, for sure. I was like, ‘Ryan, I’m here! I don’t know if you made a good choice. … I’m not leaving you!'”
“It Doesn’t Ever Get Less Magical”
Describing the run-in as “bizarre,” Seacrest praised Ora, pointing to how comfortable they are around each other. “Honestly, it feels like we’ve been doing this for a long time together,” he said, adding his co-host will see the magic of spending New Year’s in Time Square. “It doesn’t ever get less magical. It gets a little different in terms of the way the elements impact the show, whether it’s cold or raining. Rita’s going to be spoiledt—with a ‘T’—because she is going to be in clear skies, mild temperatures.”
Ora took a moment to honor her co-host and his ability to bring ease to a situation. “Ryan does have the skill of just making everyone feel so comfortable,” she said, adding he gave her the courage to host one of the biggest events of the year. “Like, you definitely make me feel like I can do this.”
Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
