Meredith Vieira will fill in for sportcaster Bob Costas during tonight’s prime time Olympic coverage, NBC announced Friday. Vieira will make history as the first woman to solo anchor the program.
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“Bob’s eye issue has improved but he’s not quite ready to do the show,” NBC Olympics Executive Producer Jim Bell said in a statement. “If your eyes are sensitive to bright lights, a TV studio is not the place to be.”
Since the beginning of the Olympic broadcast, Costas had struggled with a serious eye infection, with the sports anchor continuing to host despite visibly being in pain, with his eyes red and swollen.
Also read: Olympics: Jon Stewart Blames Russian Water for Bob Costas’ Eye Infection (Video)
Matt Lauer had substituted for Costas since Tuesday, and was working both his usual morning show gig as well as prime time Olympic coverage.
“I’m dragging a little today, I didn’t sleep at all since yesterday morning,” Lauer explained on Friday morning. “Meredith’s fantastic, she’ll be great, she really will, and I know she’s going to have a blast. It’s fun!”
More to come…