NFL icon Peyton Manning and singer Kelly Clarkson will add some spice to NBC Universal’s upcoming coverage of the Paris Olympics this summer.
The network revealed on Tuesday night that Clarkson and Manning will be hosting the opening ceremony alongside Mike Tirico. Live coverage of the ceremony begins at 12:00 ET on July 26 on NBC and Peacock.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who played in the NFL for eighteen seasons and won two Super Bowls, said, “I’m really honored to have a front row seat.” He currently co-hosts “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” alongside Eli Manning, a former NFL quarterback, his brother.
Through her NBC chat show “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Clarkson has won multiple Grammy Awards and multiple Emmys. Last year, she also served as the NFL Honors host.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Manning stated, “Kelly and I are fans of the athletes and the opening ceremony of years past.” “I believe these sportsmen will experience a wide range of emotions. Between now and July, I’m eager to learn more about those tales and perhaps share them with the audience.
Although Manning stated he would be venturing outside of his normal conversational domain of football, Tirico thinks he and Clarkson will get along just fine. Near the end of the ceremony, at the Trocadero, the three will be positioned with views of the Eiffel Tower and the Seine River.
We want Peyton and Kelly to be themselves. That is our goal. “Just be themselves,” advised Tirico, who will emcee the opening ceremony for the fourth time. These two have gained the love and trust of a vast number of people. Their presence here is a true testament to the nature of the occasion. It falls under the sports category. The reason for the get-together is sports. However, in reality, it’s a cultural festival.
The Olympic opening ceremony on the Seine is scheduled to take place around dusk, according to the organizers. Aiming to live up to the theme “Games Wide Open,” the Olympic opening ceremony will take place outdoors of a stadium for the first time.
Along a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) course, about 10,500 athletes will march on boats on the Seine through the center of the French city.
Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie, the hosts of “Today,” will be positioned together on a bridge along the way. As the competitors float past, they are supposed to report on the splendor of the event.
According to Molly Solomon, president and executive producer of NBC Olympics Production, every host will complement the other to the fullest. They had a “compelling combination,” in her words.
Solomon expressed excitement for the entire crew and mentioned that Guthrie and Kotb will have the greatest seats for their telecast’s opening ceremony.
“They will be witnessing the athlete boat parade from a bridge, where a large number of spectators will be present,” she stated. They will definitely offer something special to the table. Just like the fans, they will be observing the ceremony. It will be a wonderful encounter.
