Seacrest Becoming the Face of New Year’s Eve

Dick Clark is still Mr. New Year’s Eve — but he’ll be sharing the title with Ryan Seacrest.

Starting this December, Clark’s longtime end-of-year special will be called “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest,” ABC and dick clark productions said Friday.

It was also announced that Seacrest will serve as co-host with Clark and as an executive producer on the broadcast for another three years, through the 2010 show ringing in 2011.

The show’s name change reflects Seacrest’s success in co-hosting “one of America’s most time-honored traditions,” Orly Adelson, executive producer and president of dick clark productions, said in a statement.

“New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” will mark its 37th year on Dec. 31 and include the customary countdown to midnight from New York City’s Times Square.

Seacrest, host of “American Idol,” joined the program in December 2005, signing a deal that would eventually make him the program’s host. Clark had a stroke earlier that month but appeared on the ’05 show and in following years, his speech affected but enthusiasm intact.