LOS ANGELES — Singer Kelly Clarkson and NFL legend Peyton Manning will bring a new flavor to NBC Universal’s upcoming Paris Olympics coverage this summer.
Clarkson and Manning are expected to join Mike Tirico to host the opening ceremony, the network announced Tuesday night. The ceremony’s live coverage will air July 26 on NBC and Peacock at noon ET.
“I’m extremely honored to have a front row seat,” said Manning, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who won two Super Bowls during his 18 seasons in the NFL. He is now the co-host of “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” with his brother and former NFL quarterback Eli Manning.
Clarkson is a three-time Grammy and multi-Emmy winner through her NBC talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” She also hosted the NFL Honors last year.
“Kelly and I are both fans of the athletes and the opening ceremony of years past,” Manning told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. “I think there’ll be a lot of emotions for these athletes. I look forward to finding out those stories between now and July and maybe sharing that with the audience.”
Manning said he’ll be stepping out his comfort zone of usually talking football, but Tirico believes he and Clarkson will do just fine. The trio will be positioned at the Trocadero near the ceremony’s finish with views of the Seine River and Eiffel Tower.
“Our goal and desire is for Peyton and Kelly to be Peyton and Kelly. Just be who they are,” said Tirico, who will host his fourth opening ceremony. “So many people have come to know, love and trust these two. Having them there as part of this really speaks to what this event is. It’s under the umbrella of sports. The gathering is because of sports. But it’s really a cultural celebration.”
Organizers said the opening ceremony of the Olympics along the Seine will be held during sunset. It’s the first time an Olympic opening ceremony will be held outside a stadium setting, in line with the Paris organizers’ motto: “Games Wide Open.”
About 10,500 athletes will parade through the heart of the French capital on boats on the Seine along a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) route.
“Today” show hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb will be stationed together on a bridge along the route. They’re expected to report on the pageantry of the ceremony as the athletes sail by.
Molly Solomon, executive producer and president of NBC Olympics Production, said each host will bring the best out of each other. She called them a “compelling combination.”
“I’m excited about this whole team,” said Solomon, who noted that Guthrie and Kotb will have the best seats during the opening ceremony for their telecast.
“They’re going to be taking in the athlete boat parade from one of the bridges, where all the fans will be watching,” she said. “They’re really going to contribute from a very unique perspective. They’ll be watching the ceremony as the fans do. It’ll be a great experience.”
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