Ryan Seacrest: Carrie Underwood is a bigger star than Kelly Clarkson

TV host Ryan Seacrest (L) introduces Singer Carrie Underwood on the main stage in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations in the Manhattan borough of New York, December 31, 2015. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - RTX20OYT

Carrie Underwood is a bigger star than Kelly Clarkson—plain and simple. That’s according to Ryan Seacrest, the host of “American Idol,” which discovered both Clarkson and Underwood and turned them into megastars.

When asked Tuesday on the “Today” show who he thought the biggest star to ever come out of “Idol” was, without missing a beat, Seacrest answered, “Carrie Underwood.”

One of the “Today” hosts chimed in and mentioned Clarkson and Seacrest replied, “Kelly too, but, you know, I was just on New Year’s with Carrie, and she’s just a superstar. She really is. So I take Carrie.”

Seacrest has hosted “American Idol” since June 2002, and the show will begin its final season on Jan. 7.

“I can’t imagine life without going on the auditions every summer, and then doing the shows, you know, for months afterwards,” Seacrest said.

He said he is “looking for something” to do once “Idol” wraps in May.