Adam Rippon Turns Down NBC Contributor Gig

Rebecca Shapiro
Updated

Fans will have to wait to see Adam Rippon appear regularly on the small screen.

The charismatic figure skater will not be joining NBC as a contributor, the network confirmed to HuffPost, after Rippon clarified the news during a Monday morning interview from Pyeongchang, South Korea.

“I am so flattered that NBC wanted me to work as a correspondent,” Rippon said on NBCSN. “But if I took this opportunity, I would have to leave the Olympic team and I would have to leave the [Olympic] Village.”

He continued, “It’s so important to me, you know, I worked so hard to be on this Olympic team, and my teammates and my friends were there for me during my events, and that meant so much to me, that I really feel like I need to be there for them during their events as well.”

He echoed the comment later on Twitter.

USA Today’s Christine Brennan, who previously reported Rippon was joining the network, tweeted a similar sentiment, saying a source told her Rippon didn’t want to “relinquish his official Olympic standing ... and miss the closing ceremony.” According to Brennan, Rippon agreed to the gig but later turned it down after learning how he’d have to separate from the team.

NBC did not respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.

Earlier on Sunday, USA Today reported 28-year-old Rippon, one of the first openly gay U.S. figure skaters to compete in the Olympics, had been recruited as a contributor for the remainder of the games. He has made headlines throughout his time in Pyeongchang, first calling out Vice President Mike Pence for his anti-LGBTQ stances, and later for his hilarious one-liners.

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Toller Cranston, 1976

The Canadian skater performs at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
The Canadian skater performs at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

Robin Cousins, 1980

The British skater performs part of his gold medal routine during the free program of the men's figure skating event on Feb. 21, 1980, during the Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York.
The British skater performs part of his gold medal routine during the free program of the men's figure skating event on Feb. 21, 1980, during the Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York.

Scott Hamilton, 1984

The American fan favorite skates his long program during the men's singles competition at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, on Feb. 16.
The American fan favorite skates his long program during the men's singles competition at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, on Feb. 16.

Brian Boitano, 1988

The Californian competes in the final of the men's singles figure skating event of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada.
The Californian competes in the final of the men's singles figure skating event of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada.

Brian Orser, 1988

The Canadian skates in the final of the men's singles event of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada, on Feb. 20.
The Canadian skates in the final of the men's singles event of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada, on Feb. 20.

Kurt Browning, 1992

The Canadian performs at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.
The Canadian performs at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.

Viktor Petrenko, 1992

The Ukrainian star performs his original program at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 13, 1992, in Albertville, France.
The Ukrainian star performs his original program at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 13, 1992, in Albertville, France.

Elvis Stojko, 1994

The Canadian in the men's technical program at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in Norway.
The Canadian in the men's technical program at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in Norway.

Oleg Tataurov, 1994

The Russian competes in the free skate portion of the men's figure skating singles competition at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway.
The Russian competes in the free skate portion of the men's figure skating singles competition at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway.

Alexei Urmanov, 1994

The Russian champion in the free skate portion of the men's figure skating singles competition at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
The Russian champion in the free skate portion of the men's figure skating singles competition at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.

Margus Hernits, 1998

The Estonian skater at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
The Estonian skater at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Kyu-Hyun Lee, 1998

The South Korean performs at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
The South Korean performs at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Philippe Candeloro, 1998

The French skater performs at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
The French skater performs at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Ilia Kulik, 1998

The Russian competing at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
The Russian competing at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

Todd Eldredge, 2002

The American performs in the men's short program in Salt Lake City.
The American performs in the men's short program in Salt Lake City.

Ivan Dinev, 2002

The Bulgarian skater in his free program at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Bulgarian skater in his free program at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Takeshi Honda, 2002

The Japanese figure skater performs his men's short program at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Japanese figure skater performs his men's short program at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Dmitri Dmitrenko, 2002

Performing his men's short program for Ukraine at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Performing his men's short program for Ukraine at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Viktor Pfeifer, 2006

The Austrian competes in the men's free skate program final in Turin, Italy.
The Austrian competes in the men's free skate program final in Turin, Italy.

Evan Lysacek, 2006

The American competes in the men's short program at the Turin Games in 2016 in Italy.
The American competes in the men's short program at the Turin Games in 2016 in Italy.

Ilia Klimkin, 2006

Competing in the men's short program for Russia at the Palavela in Turin, Italy.
Competing in the men's short program for Russia at the Palavela in Turin, Italy.

Johnny Weir, 2006

The U.S. skater competes in the men's short program at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.
The U.S. skater competes in the men's short program at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Stefan Lindemann, 2006

The German competes in Turin, Italy.
The German competes in Turin, Italy.

Kevin Van Der Perren, 2006

The Belgian competes in the men's short program at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
The Belgian competes in the men's short program at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Viktor Pfeifer, 2006

Competing in the men's short program for Austria at the Games in Turin, Italy.
Competing in the men's short program for Austria at the Games in Turin, Italy.

Gheorghe Chiper, 2006

Competing for Romania in the men's short program in Turin, Italy.
Competing for Romania in the men's short program in Turin, Italy.

Shawn Sawyer, 2006

The Canadian competes in the men's short program figure skating at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.
The Canadian competes in the men's short program figure skating at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Stephane Lambiel, 2006

The Swiss skater in Turin, Italy.
The Swiss skater in Turin, Italy.

Anton Kovalevski, 2006

The Ukrainian performs Feb. 16, 2006, in Turin, Italy.
The Ukrainian performs Feb. 16, 2006, in Turin, Italy.

Daisuke Takahashi, 2006

Japan's star performs in the men's free skating program in Turin, Italy.
Japan's star performs in the men's free skating program in Turin, Italy.

Emanuel Sandhu, 2006

The Canadian in the men's free skating program in Turin, Italy.
The Canadian in the men's free skating program in Turin, Italy.

Brian Joubert, 2006

The French skater performs in the free skating program in Turin, Italy.
The French skater performs in the free skating program in Turin, Italy.

Evgeni Plushenko, 2010

The gold medalist from Russia competes in Vancouver, Canada.
The gold medalist from Russia competes in Vancouver, Canada.

Johnny Weir, 2010

The American in the free skating at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada.
The American in the free skating at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada.

Jason Brown, 2014

The U.S. skater at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Feb. 9, 2014.
The U.S. skater at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Feb. 9, 2014.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

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