LOS ANGELES — NFL legend Peyton Manning and singer Kelly Clarkson will bring a new twist to NBC Universal's coverage of the Paris Olympics this summer.
Manning and Clarkson will co-host the opening ceremony with Mike Tirico, the network announced Tuesday night. Live coverage of the ceremony will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock on July 26 at noon ET.
“It's a great honor to have a front row seat,” said Manning, who won two Super Bowls during his 18 seasons in the NFL and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He currently co-hosts “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” with his brother, former NFL quarterback Eli Manning.
Clarkson has won three Grammy Awards and multiple Emmy Awards through her NBC talk show “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” She also hosted NFL Honors last year.
“Both Kelly and I have been fans of the players and Opening Ceremony for years,” Manning told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. “There's going to be a lot of emotion for these athletes. I'm looking forward to figuring out those stories between now and July and maybe sharing them with the audience.”
Manning said he would step out of his comfort zone of talking about football, but Tirico believes he and Clarkson will work well together. The trio will be located at the Trocadéro, near the ceremony's goal, with views of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower.
“Our goal and our hope is for Peyton and Kelly to be Peyton and Kelly. Be who you are,” said Tirico, who will host the opening ceremony for the fourth time. “So many people have come to know, love and trust these two men, and their presence as part of this event really speaks to what this event is about. “It falls under the umbrella of sports. This gathering is for sports. But it's really a cultural celebration.” ”
Organizers have announced that the Olympic opening ceremony along the Seine will take place at sunset. It will be the first time that the Olympic opening ceremony will be held outside a stadium, in keeping with the motto of Paris organizers: “The Games are wide open.”
Approximately 10,500 athletes will be paraded on a 5.9-mile route through the heart of the French capital in boats on the Seine.
“Today” hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb will be stationed together on bridges along the route. As the athletes sail away, they are expected to report on the pomp of the ceremony.
Molly Solomon, executive producer and president of NBC Olympic Productions, said each host will bring out the best in each other. She called them “a fascinating combination.”
“I'm excited for the whole team,” Solomon said, noting Gasly and Kotb will have the best seats at the televised opening ceremony.
“They're going to watch the athlete boat parade from one of the bridges, and all the fans will be watching there,” she said. “They're going to bring a really unique perspective to the table. They'll be watching the ceremony just like the fans. It's going to be a great experience.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
