NBC Olympics will provide unprecedented coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday, July 23, creating a full day of Olympic programming on NBC that culminates in what is always one of the most-watched nights in television with the primetime presentation of the Ceremony. The day will begin with the network’s first-ever live morning broadcast of an Opening Ceremony (STREAM LIVE) followed by a special edition of TODAY with reaction and athlete interviews and then NBC’s first-ever Olympic Daytime show on the opening Friday of the Games.

The highly anticipated Tokyo Opening Ceremony will be the first major global gathering since the worldwide pandemic began last year. The NBC primetime broadcast will feature special coverage of Team USA, along with the performances, pageantry, and Parade of Nations, the heart of any Opening Ceremony, which will be especially meaningful this year. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on NBC, as well as the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com (STREAM LIVE).

In order to provide viewers with the opportunity to share this historic experience with people from around the world as it happens, the Tokyo Opening Ceremony will also be broadcast live on NBC across all time zones starting at 6:55 a.m. ET/3:55 a.m. PT, including participation by TODAY anchors who viewers welcome into their homes each morning. It can also be streamed live in the NBC Sports app and on NBCOlympics.com. This marks the first time NBC Olympics will broadcast an Opening Ceremony live in the morning. With Tokyo 13 hours ahead of the east coast of the United States, the Opening Ceremony begins at 8 p.m. in Japan, which is 7 a.m. ET/4 a.m. PT.

The NBC primetime coverage of the Tokyo Opening Ceremony will be replayed overnight, allowing viewers another opportunity to experience this historic moment and creating a near Ceremony takeover of NBC.

Award-winning journalist and co-anchor of TODAY Savannah Guthrie will join NBC Olympics’ primetime host Mike Tirico to host the Opening Ceremony. Guthrie hosts her first Opening Ceremony, while Tirico handles his second (PyeongChang in 2018).

NBC Olympics’ track & field reporter Lewis Johnson and swimming reporter Michele Tafoya will serve as reporters for the Opening Ceremony, Johnson for the second time (Salt Lake in 2002) and Tafoya for the third consecutive Summer Games.

The NBC primetime broadcast, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, will feature the following:

  • Performances, pageantry and the Parade of Athletes
  • Extensive coverage of Team USA, including athlete interviews with Johnson and Tafoya
  • Dwayne Johnson introducing Team USA
  • Leslie Odom Jr. telling the story of the hopes and dreams of Olympians, in an opening vignette
  • Uma Thurman narrating a special feature, leading into the Parade of Athletes

A special edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon airs on NBC following the Opening Ceremony (times in chart below). In addition, throughout Olympic coverage will be the “Fallon Five,” five minutes of special “Tonight Show” content. The “Fallon Five” begins Thursday, July 29 and concludes Sunday, Aug. 8, the night of the Closing Ceremony. One special segment will include a new Olympic spin on the classic “Tonight Show” segment “Thank You Notes.”

The NBC primetime coverage of the Tokyo Opening Ceremony will also be encored overnight, allowing viewers another opportunity to experience this historic moment and creating a near Ceremony takeover of NBC.

JULY 23 TOKYO OLYMPICS PROGRAMMING ON NBC

All Times ET

6:55 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Live Opening Ceremony Coverage (STREAM)
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Special Edition of TODAY
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tokyo Olympics Daytime (STREAM)
7:30 p.m. – Midnight Primetime Opening Ceremony (STREAM)
12:35 a.m. – 1:38 a.m.* Special Edition of “Tonight Show”
1:38 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.* Overnight Replay of Opening Ceremony

 

All Times PT

3:55 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Live Opening Ceremony Coverage (STREAM)
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Special Edition of TODAY
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tokyo Olympics Daytime (STREAM)
4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Primetime Opening Ceremony (STREAM)
9:10 p.m. – 1:10 a.m.* Opening Ceremony Primetime Encore
1:10 a.m. – 2:13 a.m.* Special Edition of “Tonight Show”
2:13 a.m. – 5:00 a.m.* Overnight Replay of Opening Ceremony

*July 24