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After almost 30 years on the air, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel will end. The HBO sports series will conclude after its current season wraps.
Deadline broke the news of Real Sports' cancellation. Gumbel has been the host of the show dating back to April 2, 1995. He told Deadline that the near-three-decade run on HBO has been “very gratifying.”
“Since Day 1 at Real Sports, we've consistently tried to look beyond the scoreboard and focus instead on the many societal issues inherent in the world of sports,” Gumbel said. “In the process we've had the opportunity to tell complex stories about race, gender, class, opportunity and so much more.”
He continued, “Being able to do so at HBO for almost 3 decades has been very gratifying. I'm proud of the imprint we've made, so I'm ready to turn the page. Although the goodbyes are never easy, I've decided that now's the time to move on.”
Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content, said: “For 29 seasons, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel has delivered a masterclass in sports storytelling. …As the longest-running HBO series, Bryant and his Real Sports team have long been a cornerstone of HBO programming. The series will continue to resonate in the realm of sports journalism, and we are so proud to have been part of such a remarkable odyssey.”
Throughout its run, Real Sports has gotten 37 Sports Emmy Awards and three Peabody awards. Gumbel was also awarded the Sports Emmys Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year. With 29 seasons and over 300 episodes under his belt, Gumbel has a lot to be proud of.