Meredith Vieira will host NBC's Friday primetime show, Bob Costas out for fourth straight day
Replacing Bob Costas in NBC primetime has become a team effort.
Meredith Vieira will host the network's Olympics coverage on Friday as Bob Costas continues to recover from the eye infection that has affected him since the Sochi Games began.
[Photos: Olympic crush: U.S. freeskier Gus Kenworthy]
NBC did not provide a timetable for Costas' return. His last broadcast came Monday night.
Meredith Vieira to host tonight's Olympic primetime and late night shows on NBC. Bob Costas continues to heal. Matt Lauer gets the night off
— NBCSportsPR (@NBCSportsPR) February 14, 2014
The pinch-hit opportunity makes Vieira the first woman to ever serve as a solo host for Olympic primetime coverage on an American network. She replaces Matt Lauer, who filled in for Costas Tuesday through Thursday but has been pulling double duty as anchor of the morning Today show.
Vieira served with Lauer as a co-host of the Opening Ceremony last Friday and has been reporting from around Sochi as a Today correspondent. She also served as a Today correspondent during the London Games.
[Photos: Americans struggle in men's super combined]
It was reported on Thursday that NBC was considering alternatives to Lauer as a fill-in for Costas. Other options included Al Michaels and Dan Patrick, who are anchoring daytime segments of NBC's Olympics schedule.
Vieira, who used to co-host the Today show with Lauer, is scheduled to host a NBC-produced daytime talk show this fall. This turn in the Olympics' brightest spotlight certainly will help with the promotion of that show.
More Winter Olympics coverage on Yahoo Sports:
- - - - - - -
is a writer for Yahoo Sports.. Have a tip? Email him at kevinkaduk@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!Follow @KevinKaduk