UPDATE: — 6:10 p.m.
It’s official. Jimmy Fallon will host NBC’s coverage of the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony on Aug. 11, 2024, fulfilling a promise he made to NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico on Tuesday’s episode of The Tonight Show.
Fallon confirmed the news Wednesday evening via Twitter/X.
PREVIOUSLY:
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon helped break some news on Tuesday night: NBC Sports lead play-by-play man Mike Tirico, NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and singer/talk show host Kelly Clarkson announced they will be hosting the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony together in Paris this summer.
NBC Sports’ live coverage of the Opening Ceremony will air on July 26 at 12 p.m. ET on both NBC and Peacock.
“I’m so glad we can finally say it!” Clarkson claimed after Tirico announced the news. “I’m not a vault, I hate secrets.”
This will be Tirico’s fourth time hosting NBC Sports’ coverage of the Olympic Opening Ceremony, and the NBC Olympics debut for both Clarkson and Manning.
Clarkson, formerly co-host of NBC’s The Voice, currently has her own talk show produced and distributed by NBCUniversal Syndication. Manning has ample TV experience as well, having hosted the Country Music Awards on ABC, and as co-host of ESPN Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli.
Manning remarked that the experience will be special for him because he told his mother when he was younger that he would take her to Paris one day. That dream is coming true.
“Thirty years to the time I graduated [high school], I’m taking my mom to Paris for the Olympics,” said Manning.
Later in the segment, Tirico asked Fallon if he planned on coming to Paris for the Olympics. Fallon said he had not planned on it, but “I will be watching on Peacock.” The NBC Sports host then insisted Fallon come for the second week of the Paris Olympics. It’s the week when U.S.’ most high-profile teams, including but not limited to women’s soccer, basketball, and track & field, will be participating.
After some light prodding, Fallon “promised” he’d come. The NBC Sports host followed up by asking the Tonight Show host that if he did arrive in Paris, would he be open to hosting the Paris Olympics closing ceremony with him?
“Is this real? Are you serious?,” asked Fallon.
“It’s real, do I have to get on my knees?” Tirico responded.
“OK, I’ll do it!,” Fallon exclaimed, to cheers and applause.
NBC Sports has seen a drop off in Olympics viewership recently, and hopes that hiring Manning and Clarkson to these high-profile roles will give its Opening Ceremony broadcast a jolt. Now, if Fallon actually follows through and joins the Closing Ceremony broadcast (remains to be seen if this actually happens), one might see even more audience growth. You never know.
