Colin Jost abruptly exits Olympics correspondent gig

Colin Jost's gig as Olympics correspondent has abruptly come to an end.

The "Saturday Night Live" comedian is out after covering the Olympics for NBC from Tahiti.

In a statement to USA TODAY Thursday, NBC said Jost's exit came after an extended stay.

"Colin stayed longer than originally planned," said NBC. "The competition ran long due to weather. He had a great time, and everyone was thrilled with his coverage from Tahiti."

The "Weekend Update" anchor and husband to Scarlett Johansson has been open about his difficult time on the French Polynesian island where the Olympics surfing events are taking place.

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Late last month, Jost, 42, shared photos on Instagram of his foot injury sustained on a coral reef in Tahiti. The injury soon resulted in a staph infection.

"I've been visiting the medical tent regularly. It's a weird feeling when you're in the medical tent way more than any of the athletes," he later told NBC Sports.

"The medical staff at this point, they know my name, they're very familiar with my badge ID number, they know I'm allergic to penicillin," he continued. "They started saying, 'We need to see you every day.' At first, I was like, 'Oh, my God, guys, I like you, too.' And they were like, 'No, it's because the infection hasn't improved."

He then joked: "I vow, I will not leave here unless it's being evacuated in a helicopter."

USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Jost and NBC for comment.

Jost has been replaced by Australian weatherman Luke Bradnam, according to Reuters.

Bradnam had to be clued in on who Jost is, however.

"I said to one of the officials 'Who's that?' and she goes, 'You know who he is.' And I go, 'I don't know.' She goes, 'He's married to Scarlett Johansson. He's from Saturday Night Live,'" he said. "He just looked different to the rest of us. We're all a bit weathered right, and he looked perfect."

Jost will continue to be busy, as the actor and writer is set to host the new "Jeopardy!" spin-off "Pop Culture Jeopardy!" which will air on Amazon Prime Video.

The collaboration with Sony Pictures Television, which produces the OG show, will appear exclusively on Amazon in more than 240 countries worldwide and "give a new twist on the classic quiz show's "answer-and-question" format combining the "academic rigor of 'Jeopardy!' with the excitement and unpredictability of pop culture," Amazon previously shared in a statement.

Contributing: Bryan Alexander