LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Popular TV personality
Regis Philbin, who hosted ABC's annual New Year's Eve special in place of an ailing Dick Clark last year, will ring in 2006 as anchor of a rival telecast on the Fox network.

The Fox deal, announced on Wednesday, sets up a New Year's Eve battle between Philbin of the syndicated morning show "Live with Regis and Kelly" and Clark, the "American Bandstand" veteran who is returning to co-host the 34th edition of his "New Year's Rockin' Eve" with Ryan Seacrest.

Both shows will be broadcast live from Times Square in Manhattan.

Clark, 75, sidelined from last year's ABC show by a stroke, will be back this year with Seacrest, best known as host of Fox hit talent show "American Idol."

ABC said in August that it had signed Seacrest, 30, to a multiyear deal that essentially makes him heir to the show that Clark has presided over since 1972. The annual special is capped by the midnight descent of a giant, illuminated ball over Times Square.

Seacrest hosted a New Year's Eve show on Fox last year but drew only a fraction of ABC's audience.

With Clark's show in transition, Fox executives saw an opening to claim a stronger ratings foothold on a holiday event that ABC has dominated since Clark eclipsed Guy Lombardo's long-running New Year's countdown on CBS in the 1970s.

"When Dick leaves, it will leave a hole in New Year's Eve, and I'm hoping we can fill it with Regis," Fox executive vice president Mike Darnell told show business newspaper Daily Variety. "You need a sort of iconic name, and he's a perfect fit."

Philbin, 74, proved to be a major ratings draw as host of the game show mega-hit "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" for several seasons on ABC.

"I'm very happy to be asked to welcome in the New Year on TV. It's a once-a-year, one-of-a-kind show," he said in a Fox statement. The Philbin-hosted "New Year's Eve Live" on Fox will combine musical performances with celebrity interviews, a retrospective on 2005's most memorable pop culture moments and its own countdown to 2006.

But Nielsen's numbers show Clark remains the king of New Year's Eve on U.S. television. Nearly 21 million viewers watched the countdown on his last "Rockin' Eve" broadcast in 2003-04, while Philbin drew 18.2 million pinch-hitting for Clark last year. Seacrest averaged just over 6 million viewers on Fox last year.

I'm surprised that Regis would jump ship and go to FOX.
He has always been the poster boy for ABC.

I'm surprised that Regis would jump ship and go to FOX.
He has always been the poster boy for ABC.

Yeah that's true, but it's nice to know Dick will be back this year. Will this be his first appearance since the stroke?

Yeah that's true, but it's nice to know Dick will be back this year. Will this be his first appearance since the stroke?

I think so. I'm sure folks will be tuning in to see how he looks.

I'll be watching Clark, definitely. I hate Regis.

I'll be watching Dick Clark. Wouldn't be New Years Eve without him. :)

Dick Clark of course.

Odd...Seacrest on ABC...Regis on Fox... wicked.

Clark!!!!!!!! :D

I don't live in the Eastern zone, but I will still be watching anyway and then I will watch Conan after that because he celebrates New Year's for people in the Central zone. :rock:

I'll watch Clark, I've been watching his show for years and don't plan on changing.

Neither :lol:

Dick Clark. It's a tradition. I might also switch over to MTV from time to time, see what they have going on.

neither.

neither I would rather sleep

I like both, but I'll watch Dick Clark.

Well, last year it just wasn't the same without seeing Dick Clark live from Time's Square on New Year's Eve, so I'll definitely be watching him this year... :)

Seacrest!

Odd...Seacrest on ABC...Regis on Fox... wicked.

That is wicked!

Odd...Seacrest on ABC...Regis on Fox... wicked.

Actually, that is kind of strange.

Maybe Dick Clark is looking for a replacement.

But I still think Regis' defection to FOX is pretty serious.

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear more of this somewhere down the road.

I love both Dick Clark and Regis so this will be tough. Clark will easily win in the ratings, though, but with Regis, FOX will have its best New Year's ratings. Regis is still with ABC, but has only signed a deal with FOX for this New Year's Eve. I think it is a one shot thing, but I'm not sure. Regis has a new series of specials coming for ABC called "This is Your Life" -- a remake of the classic '50s show.

I hope Dick Clark would do better with his New Year's show. He was for many years on "American Bandstand" and as a game show host on the "$25,000 Pyramid" and "The Challengers". I know Regis is okay with last year's show.

I am going to be watching Dick Clark on ABC

I'll probably flip channels.

:bump

Neither. I'll probably be with my mom and her friend or with my dad and his girlfriend on new year's. We might watch the local news for the countdown, but that's it, I think.

To me, Dick Clark is New Year's Eve.

To me, Dick Clark is New Year's Eve.

To you, me and a lot of others!

I love reg...but c'mon its DICK CLARK!

It's not New Year's Eve without Dick Clark.

I didn't like Regis last year...

clark

Clark Ready for New Year's Eve Return

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - Dick Clark, who suffered a stroke last December, won't be in a wheelchair when he appears on ABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve," says co-host Ryan Seacrest.

It will be the 76-year-old Clark's first TV appearance since his stroke, which forced him to bow out of last year's show.

"I'm not a doctor and I'm not his wife so I don't see him on a daily basis, but he will not be in a wheelchair on the telecast," Seacrest told AP Radio in a recent interview.

Seacrest, who will make his debut as co-host of the New Year's Eve special, said Clark "has gotten better and better each day. I don't think he is a hundred percent but I think he's better than he was last week and better than he was six months ago."

As for Clark's voice, Seacrest said: "It's not exactly as it probably sounded when he was his healthiest and before the stroke, but it definitely sounds like Dick and I think that he's been working on his speech and making sure that it's as good as it can be on the night."

"I know that he is one of the most driven and focused individuals on the planet," the 31-year-old Seacrest said of Clark. "And so when he puts his mind to something and when he wants to do something like this television show and be there for everybody to see him, he'll do it."

Seacrest and Clark will appear from New York, where the ball will drop in Times Square in the traditional countdown to midnight. Co-host Hilary Duff will anchor and perform at the Hollywood segment of the show. The 34th annual "New Year's Rockin' Eve" will air Saturday starting at 10 p.m. (EST).

Regis Philbin is the devil.

im too drunk to watch TV on new years!

i aint gonna watch **** new years isnt even ril its jus an urban legend n ur all wasitig ur cable bills so dun come runnin 2 me wen ewe l:eyes2:k 4 sum1 2 c abt gettn those last few howrs uv yr lyf back

I just kinda wanna see how Dick Clark is looking. He hasn't made any public appearances and I think it's so he can make a grand entrance tonight.

I doubt I'd watch either, but can't Dick Clark find somebody a little less scrutinized than Seacrest to fill his shoes? I know a lot of people who won't watch AI just because they hate him so much

Dick is great and so is Rege. I would flip, but I'm at one of my relative's tonight for a party, so it's up to them.

I prefer both, though.

Pat