Ryan Seacrest Returning to 'Live with Kelly and Mark' for First Appearance Since Co-Host Exit (Exclusive)

The broadcaster will make a guest appearance on Thursday's Live with Kelly and Mark to promote Sunday's season finale of American Idol, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal

Ryan Seacrest is heading back to his old stomping grounds.

The broadcaster will make a guest appearance on Thursday's Live with Kelly and Mark, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal, in what will be his first appearance on the re-named show since his last day as co-host on April 14.

His return shouldn't come as much of a surprise to Live viewers, as Seacrest, 48, has been touting he'd be back on the program ever since he announced his exit from the series back in February.

"This isn't the end, I'm going to be back," Seacrest told PEOPLE after his final show. "This place is remarkable. I'm going to miss coming into this studio to see the people who have worked here for so long. It is about the people here; it's a family at Live and they adopted me for a little while and I'm grateful for that. ... So I'll definitely be visiting from time to time."

"He's forever adopted," said Kelly Ripa, who now co-hosts alongside husband Mark Consuelos. "He's forever a New Yorker and forever a Live co-host, whether he likes it or not."

Related:Ryan Seacrest Reveals the Goodbye Gift Kelly Ripa Gave Him Before Last Day at 'Live' (Exclusive)

Related:Mark Consuelos Reveals the Parting Gift Ryan Seacrest Left in His Live Dressing Room (Exclusive)

Seacrest will be on Live to promote the season finale of American Idol, which airs on ABC on Sunday night.

The live coast-to-coast, three-hour season finale will feature special performances from Idol alums Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, as well as judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, and a slew of other artists including Ellie Goulding, James Blunt, Jazmine Sullivan, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin, Kylie Minogue, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Daigle, Pitbull and TLC.

Elsewhere on the finale, the Top 12 contestants will return to the Idol stage for a performance, while the Top 3 contestants will take the stage for the final time before America decides who will become the next "American Idol."

Viewers will also learn about the status of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation's grand opening in Memphis at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.

Live with Kelly and Mark has seen ratings success since its premiere, debuting at the No. 1 daytime talk show (network or syndicated) and the No. 1 entertainment show across all key Nielsen measures, topping all daytime and late-night entertainment talk shows.

It also earned the show its strongest week in ratings in a three-month period.

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Live with Kelly and Mark airs weekday mornings on ABC (check local listings).

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