NBC chose an interesting and fun new broadcast crew member to join the team in Milan Cortina at the 2026 Winter Olympics: actor Stanley Tucci.
The Emmy Award-winning actor definitely isn't the first person sports fans would think of for joining NBC's Olympic crew, but the pull for Tucci to join specifically is that he will showcase the cultural side of Italy while reporting live from around Milan. Tucci is an Italian-American actor, and he hosts the show Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy on CNN. He highlights the country's food and culture in the show.
Tucci seemed like the perfect fit for this role, according to NBC Olympics executive producer Molly Solomon.
“I immediately thought of Stanley when we started planning for Milan,” Solomon said, via a press release. “America has an affinity for all things Italian, and with his string of hit shows and best sellers, Stanley’s now the it guy on Italian culture in our country. His mix of cool curiosity and masterful storytelling makes him the perfect guide to dish on northern Italy’s culinary and cultural treasures. We can’t wait for him to make America hungry in primetime.”
NBC laid out the plan for Tucci's addition to the Olympic coverage, sharing that he will be filming "travelogue-style segments highlighting the food, traditions, and history of the regions." It'll be a fun way for American Olympic viewers to learn more about Italian culture through an expert, per se.
Tucci sounds very excited about this new role he's taking on.
“It’s been my passion to learn about the people of Italy by traversing the country and savoring its food. But this time, I’ll have a guest with me—the world,” Tucci said in the press release. “I’m excited to return to northern Italy as the Olympic Games brings the world to its doorstep. What foods will the world fall in love with? What favorites will be uncovered? How will Italy transform with the world as its guest? I’m excited to share it all with the American primetime audience in February.”
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics begin on Friday, Feb. 6 and run through Sunday, Feb. 22.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Stanley Tucci Joins NBC's Winter Olympics Broadcast Crew.