After nearly 40 years with CBC, Canadian Screen Award and Gemini Award-winning sports broadcaster Scott Russell has announced that he will retire from hosting duties at the end of the summer. Russell will unite audiences across the country around high-performance sport one more time as host of CBC’s Olympic Games Paris 2024 afternoon show Bell Paris Prime from July 26 to August 11 and coverage of the 2024 Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8. His final broadcast will take place on the last day of the Paralympic Games.
“CBC Sports has been home for my entire career in broadcasting. The places I’ve been, the friendships I’ve made, and the sport I’ve witnessed, leave me with a lifetime of memories. On top of that, I’ve been fortunate to work with the best people in the business,” said Scott Russell. “It’s time for the next chapter, and I’m excited to see what the future holds, including my appointment as Chancellor of Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario.”
After joining CBC Charlottetown in 1985 as a reporter, Russell turned to sports in 1986 and quickly established himself as a talent. From 1988 to 1992, he was a sports reporter and anchor for CBC in Montreal until he moved to Toronto as a network sports commentator. The longtime host of the weekly show CBC SPORTS PRESENTS, Russell has covered 16 Olympic Games for CBC, including six as host, and also led the network’s coverage of six Pan Am Games, six Commonwealth Games, two FIFA World Cups and two FIFA Women’s World Cups. In addition, Russell was a host and rink-side reporter for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada for 14 years.
“Scott’s genuine passion for sports and his vast knowledge of athletes past and present has helped to inspire and ignite the country around global sporting competitions for close to four decades,” said Barbara Williams, Executive Vice-President, CBC. “His contributions to CBC Sports’ coverage over the years, across all platforms, cannot be understated, and his authentic commitment to Canadian athletes and Canadian sport remains unwavering.”
Also an acclaimed author of three books, Russell has earned numerous accolades throughout his broadcast career, including a Canadian Screen Award and Gemini Award with 15 nominations, a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to sports in Canada, the George Gross Award for Outstanding Broadcasting from Sports Media Canada, a Medal of Distinction from Toronto Sports Hall of Honour and a CBC President’s Award in the Brand Champion category in recognition of his dedication and enthusiasm for his work covering amateur athletics for the network. He is an honorary board member of the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, an advisory board member for the International Centre for Olympic Studies at Western University, and is the fifth Chancellor of Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario, from where he holds an honorary doctorate (D.Lit.).
Beginning Saturday, July 27 as part of CBC’s coverage of Paris 2024, Russell will host Bell Paris Prime from the City of Lights, featuring the day’s biggest sporting events including swimming, athletics and Team Canada’s appearances in basketball and soccer. Bell Paris Prime will air daily during the Games from 12–6 p.m. ET (9 a.m.–3 p.m. PT) on CBC as well as the free streaming service CBC Gem, CBC’s Paris 2024 website and the CBC Paris 2024 app for Android and iOS devices.