'Live' Host Ryan Seacrest's 'Exhaustion' On Set Led Him To Step Down From Show: Source

An insider revealed that Ryan Seacrest’s “exhaustion” caused concern on set, leading the host to make the difficult decision to leave Live With Ryan and Kelly.

The television personality was repeatedly said to be fatigued before filming, sparking speculation of the star’s fitness for the show. In the last year, the leading man was also known to be increasingly absent from his cohosting role.

“Some of Ryan’s absences created tension with everyone involved on the show. But everyone cares about him and respects him and just wants to make sure he’s OK,” said the insider.

Seacrest, 47, not only co-hosts Live, but he is also hosts American Idol and performs his own radio show, On Air With Ryan Seacrest. Additionally, the multi-millionaire is a producer for Hulu’s The Kardashians and Freeform’s The Watchful Eye.

“It’s not just ‘Live.’ Ryan has to travel to audition cities for ‘Idol’ — they just went to Hawaii. It’s exhausting. It is hard doing ‘Live’ every day. It’s a grueling schedule. There are double tapings and he runs between his radio show and ‘Live.’ He’ll have a 10-minute break and they’ll say, ‘Come and do some one-liners for the radio show,'” the insider comments in the producer’s defense.

Due to the plethora of projects Seacrest is involved in, “they started talking about Ryan leaving last summer, and when they announced Ryan’s departure, both Kelly and Ryan wanted to put whatever issues — arising from the workplace and Ryan’s other responsibilities — they had behind them.”

The source shut down speculation that there is animosity between the entertainer and co-host Kelly Ripa revealing, “They’ve known each other for 20 years and, regardless of recent strains, it is a real friendship.”

As OK! previously reported, on February 16, the Georgia native announced that he was leaving Live With Ryan and Kelly on air. Seacrest divulged that the decision was “tough, tough” and “bittersweet.”

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In response, Ripa gushed, “There is nobody else like you. There is nobody who can really do what you do. I know you in real life as well as TV life. I say this about very few people: what you see is what you get. This is not an act, this is a good man. I am so endlessly impressed by you.”

“He’s not quite burned out, but he knows himself [and knows] he needs a break," an industry insider stated at the time. "In the last couple of years he’s valued his time off with his family and his loved ones.”

The media mogul will now be focusing his energy elsewhere, with the source noting, “He’s really interested in learning how to make wine, he has a passion for cooking, and this is the kind of thing he wants to invest in.”

Page Six previously reported on Seacrest's exhaustion.