Ryan Seacrest began talks Tuesday night with NBC executives and a Today Show executive producer to determine his interest in replacing Matt Lauer at the end of 2012.
The American Idol host, E! reality show producer and popular radio jock met with Today exec Jim Bell, NBC News President Steve Capus and Senior VP Lauren Kapp.
Seacrest is currently under contract with NBC-Universal, who owns E!, but he will be free right around the time that Lauer’s contract expires.
Matt announced in April 2011 that he might be moving on. That revelation came shortly after Meredith Vieira dropped her own bombshell decision to leave her lucrative NBC gig.
Lauer’s timing was likely a not-so-subtle attempt to sweeten the pot for a new contract deal with NBC for 2013 and beyond.
Seacrest’s net worth in 2011 is estimated by Forbes to be roughly $125 million. Not bad for 36.
His next high profile gig will be hosting Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on ABC.
Photos: WENN