Ryan Seacrest Reveals Rare Snaps With His Sister Meredith

Ryan Seacrest‘s niece Flora made a surprise guest appearance on Thursday’s episode of Live with Kelly and Ryan, and her mom also got a moment in the spotlight. After the show, Seacrest shared some fun photos with Flora and her mom, Seacrest’s sister Meredith Seacrest Leach. Flora, 3, joined Seacrest and Live guest co-host Tamron Hall for a fun debate about chocolate chip cookies.

Thursday was National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, so Hall and Seacrest taste-tested chewy and crunchy cookies. Flora just happened to be in the studio, so Seacrest used his “phone a niece” lifeline to get some help. They decided chewy cookies were the best. “Flora, you know what we should do? Eat all those cookies and then hang out with Mommy,” Seacrest said, notes PEOPLE. “A little sugar rush.”

After the show, Seacrest shared a couple of behind-the-scenes photos with Flora and Leach. He also included an adorable video of Seacrest asking Flora if she was ready for her big moment. In another clip, Hall and Seacrest led Flora out on stage, with Seacrest encouraging her to wave to the audience. “It’s Flora’s show, we’re just supporting characters in it,” Seacrest captioned the post.

Leach and her husband, Jimmy Leach, welcomed Flora in December 2018 in Nashville. Just a few days after Flora was born, Leach joined Seacrest on his radio show to talk about becoming a mom. “It is the real deal giving birth,” Leach told her brother. “I’m good, I’m good… I feel relieved we got through it and we did it and our little girl is here and she’s happy and healthy.”

Leach is the executive director and COO of the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. She is described as the “driving force” of the foundation since it was established in 2009. Before she helped start her brother’s foundation, Leach was the director of creative affairs at Reveille, now known as EndemolShine America. She was also the manager of communications at The Insider and Entertainment Tonight. Leach earned a journalism degree from the University of Georgia.

Last week also saw Seacrest experience another wardrobe malfunction. On Tuesday, when Queer Eye for the Straight Guy star Carson Kressley was guest co-host, Seacrest announced to the world that his fly was down when he approached the set. “What? I guess you’re just happy to see me,” Kressley joked. “I just threw this on at the last minute because I saw what you were wearing. I had to make a quick change,” Seacrest replied.

In other Seacrest news, he will be returning to host another season of American Idol next year. It will be his 21st season as host, and the sixth on ABC. Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Katy Perry will all return as judges. Idol celebrated its 20th season earlier this year, with Noah Thompson crowned the winner.