Plagued by an worsening eye infection, NBC’s Bob Costas will take at least one night off from the network’s primetime coverage of the Winter Olympics.
NBC Sports announced that Costas will not host Tuesday’s primetime or late night coverage of the Sochi Olympics, with Matt Lauer as his replacement. Costas had hosted every primetime Olympic telecast since 1998.
As many viewers have noticed, Costas has been dealing with an eye infection since the Olympics started last week. First only one eye was affected, but on Monday’s coverage it was clear the infection had spread to both. In a statement, Costas acknowledged that the infection had gotten worse: “It was becoming increasingly noticeable and uncomfortable, but if it was just that, I would have continued. … The difference is that last night and into this morning, it got to the point where, as a practical matter, I simply couldn’t do my job because my eyes had become so blurry, watery and sensitive to light.”
Costas said he is hopeful he can return in the next couple of days, and NBC Sports has listed him as “day to day.”
(NBC Sports Group Press Box)
