Celebrity Mound

This is … a rich new deal for “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest.

The ubiquitous Seacrest is putting the finishing touches on a contract extension with “Idol” co-producer 19 Entertainment to continue to emcee the top-rated series on TV.

The pact, which is believed to be for three years, will give Seacrest a major pay raise and make him one of the highest-paid reality hosts on television. He made slightly less than $5 million this season for his work on “Idol,” which breaks down to about $100,000 per episode.

Additionally, Seacrest is said to be expanding his relationship with 19 Entertainment, possibly to develop series with 19 principal and “Idol” creator Simon Fuller.

“Idol” is produced jointly by 19, Fremantle and Fox. All declined to comment on Seacrest’s new deal, as did his attorneys at Hansen Jacobson, but the agreement is expected to be announced Monday.

In addition to his hosting duties on Fox’s “Idol,” E! News and on the radio — where he has a daily show and hosts “American Top 40″ — Seacrest has made an entree into producing with such unscripted series as “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” “Denise Richards: It’s Complicated” and ABC’s upcoming show starring British chef Jamie Oliver.

Seacrest traveled to the U.K. last month and met with executives at 19 to discuss a new deal.

He is not the only “Idol” star to use the show’s off-season to hammer out a new pact for the show. The “Idol” judges also are negotiating new deals.

Uber-judge Simon Cowell has made statements suggesting that he might leave the singing competition when his contract is up at the end of next season. The British media has pegged his salary demands for staying on the show at more than $100 million a year.

The other judges — Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi — all have said they hope to close deals to return next season.

Though the ratings for the reality juggernaut have slipped in the past couple of years, “Idol” remains the highest-rated series on television by a mile and is a windfall for its producers.

Seacrest was spotted recently taking a break in Paris with a buxom brunette who was described by online gossips as a “Megan Fox look-alike.” Now our source says the “American Idol” host’s new catch is Jasmine Waltz. “She’s a cocktail waitress at Guys nightclub in LA, and that’s where they met,” said our snitch. A rep for Seacrest had no comment.

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So much for a relaxing trip to the beach.

On his KIIS-FM radio show Monday, Ryan Seacrest said he decided to take a dip in the ocean over the weekend when, he said, “I was bit by a shark!”

He said he was “about eight feet out” when he felt something swim by him.

“I thought it was a stick,” he said. “I wasn’t sure what had happened.”

Then, he said, “I saw it swim! He took a bite, and he left.”

Seacrest, 33, said the shark’s tooth “wasn’t a great thing to find. It was like finding a splinter!”

Although he said he was “in pain,” the American Idol co-host wasn’t hurt too badly, as he still went on the air to blab about it. (“I need to take an Advil!” he yelped.)

But he’s bitter.

Asked by his radio co-host if anyone else got bit, Seacrest lamented: “No, just me, of course! There were like 1,000 people in the ocean, and I get bit by the shark!”

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Ryan Seacrest might be adding hosting duties of another kind to his schedule in 2009. A source from within CNN says that Seacrest, who has filled in for his friend Larry King in the past, is involved in “serious negotiations” to take over “Larry King Live” around year’s end. King told The New York Times in April 2007 that Seacrest would be his first choice to take over the show when the time came.

“He’s the classic generalist,” King told the Times. “The only thing I don’t know, and I’ve gotten to know him pretty well, is how versed he is in politics, world affairs. Does he read the paper? Is he interested in Iraq? Because if he is, he’s going to be very good.”

Another source familiar with Seacrest and his involvement on “American Idol” said that a drastic course change might be just what Seacrest needs. “He’s so serious about his career, but like anyone, he wants it to evolve. Hosting ‘Larry King’ would be perfect for him.”

A rep for Seacrest said that “Larry and Ryan are close and Ryan does fill in as a guest host from time to time, but we have no comment on this story.” Another source close to CNN, on the other hand, said “there is no truth to this story.”

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