CBC invites Canadians to rise and shine on Friday, February 9 to mark the official start of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 with its extensive live coverage of the Opening Ceremony, beginning at 5:30 a.m. ET (2:30 a.m. PT). Whether commuting to work or staying warm in bed, Canadians won’t miss a moment of the excitement at the Olympic Stadium, with live coverage broadcast on CBC, CBC News Network, TSN and Sportsnet, and live-streaming at cbc.ca/olympics, on the CBC Olympics app for iOS and Android devices, and the CBC Olympics VR app, presented by Samsung.
Canadians will wake up with CBC’s Olympic Games Morning team of Andi Petrillo and Alexandre Despatie, who will host the pre-Ceremony show beginning at 5:30 a.m. ET (2:30 a.m. PT) and build anticipation for what’s to come. Beginning at 6 a.m. ET (3 a.m. PT), Olympic Games Primetime‘s Scott Russell will co-host CBC’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony with CBC News The National’s Rosemary Barton, and Olympian and CBC Sports’ Perdita Felicien. The trio will guide Canadians through the spectacle, including Team Canada’s entrance during the parade of nations, led by flag-bearing duo and beloved ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Olympic Games Overnight co-host Kelly VanderBeek will act as a roving reporter during the Ceremony, capturing Team Canada’s reactions to the show. A primetime broadcast of the Opening Ceremony will air on CBC at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) on February 9, and it will be available on-demand as well at cbc.ca/olympics that day.
Viewers in Toronto are invited to watch the Opening Ceremony on February 9 at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre (250 Front St. W.) over a free pancake breakfast including a caffeinated beverage of choice, with doors opening at 5 a.m. ET. Olympians and CBC analysts for PyeongChang 2018 Kerrin Lee-Gartner and Beckie Scott will participate in a meet-and-greet with fans at 8:30 a.m. ET. The Canadian Broadcasting Centre will be open daily from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET during the Olympic Games. Click here for more information on PyeongChang 2018 community viewing events hosted by local CBC locations across the country.
The Opening Ceremony will feature a message of peace, with five children from the rural Gangwon province leading a fairytale adventure which will include animals, nature and a cast of 2,000. Augmented Reality and 5G technology will also be incorporated.