The namesake host might have been sidelined by health problems this year, but ABC's Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve special was one auld acquaintance that viewers didn't forget as 2004 gave way to 2005 on Friday night. ABC easily won the battle of the New Year's Eve specials against NBC and Fox, even as ABC had to hastily recruit Regis Philbin to substitute for longtime host Clark on this year's Rockin' Eve telecast. NBC was competitive in the late-night hours with special New Year's-themed editions of The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and Late Night With Conan O'Brien. The 10 p.m. primetime portion of Rockin' Eve averaged 8 million viewers and a 2.6 rating/10 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.
American TV personality Dick Clark is to spend the Christmas holidays in the hospital where he's recovering from a mild stroke. Clark, who suffered the stroke on December 6 is out of the intensive care unit and "doing some rehab", says publicist Paul Shefrin, who adds the star could still be hospitalized on New Year's Eve. Shefrin says, "The doctors have told him how thrilled they are with his progress. His brain is 100 per cent there. It's been overwhelming in terms of support and well wishes. There are hundreds, probably thousands, with the magic of email. He's going to have an awful lot of thank-you cards to write." Doctors have yet to give Clark, 75, a release date. Regis Philbin will fill in for the star, hosting Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2005 on December 31 from New York's Times Square. Singer Ashlee Simpson will host the West Coast part of the show.
- 12/22/2004
- WENN
American TV and radio legend Dick Clark has been forced to pull out of hosting his annual New Year's Eve party in New York's Times Square after suffering a stroke. The 75-year-old producer has hosted Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve for the past 32 years. TV host Regis Philbin will stand in for Clark when the show goes live on America's east coast on December 31. Ashlee Simpson will co-host. Clark was taken into hospital in California last week after suffering the mild stroke. From his hospital bed, he says, "It'll feel strange watching it (the show) on TV but my doctors felt it was too soon. I'm sure Regis will do a great job and I'm thankful that he was able to step in on such short notice." Clark also missed out on reading the Golden Globe Award nominations Monday morning - something he does annually. Actor pal Brendan Fraser stepped in at the last minute to replace him.
- 12/14/2004
- WENN
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