Bob Costas is serving as the NBC Olympics primetime host for a U.S. TV record 10th time in Sochi. He’s also going to host late night coverage.
Costas, 61, pulled double duty once before, hosting primetime and late night in Sydney in 2000.
“With unmatched experience in the host chair, Bob’s historical perspective and expertise will serve as a foundation for our Sochi coverage both in primetime and late night,” said Jim Bell, Executive Producer of NBC Olympics. “There is no one better than Bob to lead us in telling the stories of the athletes and competition that captivate fans around the world.”
Costas has been the primetime host at every Games on NBC since 1992 -- six summer and three winter. He was the late night host in Seoul in 1988, too. Jim McKay hosted eight times for ABC.
“The Olympics are a unique television event,” Costas said. “They involve classic sports coverage, of course, but also many elements of storytelling and travelogue aspects that are not part of the usual sports broadcast. They are a three-week miniseries which, if done well, should bring viewers not only compelling athletic performances, but a sense of the host city and country, and an appreciation of what is a truly global gathering.”
The Olympics begin on Feb. 6 on NBC with primetime coverage the night before the Opening Ceremony for the first time.