Colin Jost has stepped down from his 2024 Olympics bid after his performance in Tahiti caused multiple health problems.
The “Saturday Night Live” comedian reportedly quit his surfing correspondent duties before the events on the French Polynesian island ended on Wednesday. Australian meteorologist Luke Bradnam replaced Jost at NBC’s request, according to Reuters.
According to NBC, Jost stayed “longer than he had originally planned” and the surfing competition was delayed due to weather. Jost “had a great time and everyone was thrilled with his coverage from Tahiti,” a source familiar with NBC’s Olympics coverage said in a statement.
The “Weekend Update” anchor touched down in Tahiti ahead of the Games’ opening ceremony on July 26, but his stay in the popular vacation destination soon turned into anything but paradise. In his first few days on the job at the Olympics, Jost injured his left foot on the island’s coral reefs.
“You know everything is going well when you've been in the Olympic medical tent longer than any of the athletes,” she wrote in an Instagram photo shared last week. The photo showed three of Jost's toes wrapped in bandages.
During her Olympic coverage, Jost also shared that her foot had become infected and “hasn’t gotten better.” Last week she told “Primetime in Paris” host and sportscaster Mike Tirico that she was also dealing with an ear infection.
“I’m on three different medications now, four if you count the piña coladas… My new goal for when I leave here is to have as many infections as I have Olympic events,” he joked during a broadcast, according to a clip shared on social media.
Although Jost has made public his account of his various ailments, it is unclear whether health issues were a factor in his unexpected departure. A representative for Jost did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
“The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” Jost joked in an Instagram post shared Tuesday amid several surfing semifinal and final events.
As of Thursday, France leads the overall medal tally in surfing at the 2024 Olympics with four awards, including a gold for surfer Kauli Vaast. The United States has won two medals in surfing, including a gold for surfer Caroline Marks.
The 2024 Olympics, which have been a star-studded event, will conclude with the closing ceremony on Sunday at the Stade de France.
