Colin Jost’s stint at the Olympic Games has come to an abrupt end.
The “Saturday Night Live” star has officially exited his role as a correspondent for the surfing competitions in Tahiti after sustaining numerous injuries, Deadline reported on Monday. NBC has replaced the 42-year-old Jost with Australian weatherman Luke Bradnam, who had already been covering the Games in French Polynesia.
From the outset, Jost’s time in Tahiti was fraught with difficulties. In July, he gave NBC sportscaster Maria Taylor a candid update on the network’s less-than-ideal setup on the island. “I apologize that we were a little delayed getting to you. You’re not gonna believe it based on this yard full of chickens, but we had some technical difficulties,” he said on air while gesturing to the poultry around him.
One of Jost’s significant injuries occurred when he severely injured his foot by stepping on a coral reef while in the ocean. He shared a picture of his bandaged and bloodied wounds on Instagram, joking that he had “been to the Olympic medical tent more than any of the athletes.” The photo showed three of his toes bandaged with gauze while his other exposed toes were covered with minor cuts.
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He humorously explained his predicament, saying, “I actually have been walking in place in this yard because if I stand still, ants begin crawling inside the wounds. Not something I anticipated.” Unfortunately, his toes did not heal properly, and on-site medics told him they needed to see him “every day” because the infection had not improved. To make matters worse, he developed an ear infection.
“I woke up this morning and discovered that I had added an ear infection to my growing list of ailments,” he said in a July broadcast. “So I’m now on three different medications — four if you count piña coladas.”
Despite the mounting injuries, Jost maintained his sense of humor.
He shared a segment filmed in Tahiti ahead of the surfing semifinals and finals, which had been delayed due to small surf conditions. “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” he captioned the video. “Semis and finals of Olympic surfing happening right now in Tahiti. At the Wall of Skulls.”
Jost’s unexpected departure highlights the unpredictable nature of on-location reporting, especially in a setting as unique and challenging as Tahiti. His resilience and humor in the face of adversity have left a memorable mark on his Olympic coverage.
