Ryan Seacrest returning to ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’ a month after exit

Well, that didn’t take long. A month after he said his goodbyes as host, Ryan Seacrest will be returning to the Live stage in New York City — but as a guest.

ABC Audio has confirmed Ryan will be back at the recently-rebranded Live with Kelly and Mark on Thursday to promote Sunday night’s finale of American Idol, and also to promote the opening of his Ryan Seacrest Foundation in Memphis.

The non-profit builds “broadcast media centers, named Seacrest Studios, within pediatric hospitals for patients to explore the creative realms of radio, television and new media” to, “contribute positively to the healing process for children and their families during their stay.”

While it might be sooner than some expected, the visit isn’t a surprise: When Ryan handed his co-hosting chair to Kelly Ripa‘s husband Mark Consuelos, Seacrest vowed, “This isn’t the end, I’m going to be back.”

His pal and former co-host Kelly replied, “He’s forever adopted. He’s forever a New Yorker and forever a Live co-host, whether he likes it or not.”