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Less than two weeks after celebrating Pardon the Interruption’s 25th anniversary, cohost Michael Wilbon is taking a leave of absence.
The 67-year-old ESPN star wrote on X/Twitter that he was making a “trip to the injured list” for “multiple” undisclosed health issues.
“This isn’t retirement, but it is a trip to the injured list. Hopefully not an extended one. Struggles with multiple health issues in recent months lead me to take an indefinite leave of absence from my PTI and NBA duties at ESPN and ABC,” tweeted Wilbon.
“Probably, I should have listened to medical professionals and people closest to me, yep Kornheiser included, who saw worrisome signs in recent years that suggested I take time away earlier. But I didn’t. And as one close friend has said as my issues have become bigger, ‘the bill has come due.’ The struggles are all health related, not to alcohol (I’m not swearing off the now-and-then Kier Royale) and not to gambling (those winds of change I find loathsome).
“I have loved sparring and hosting PTI with Tony every single day these past 25 years. And I’m incredibly grateful for the support and encouragement of my colleagues as I take this time away to concentrate on me, specifically on my well-being. I have no idea exactly how this part of my journey will wind up. The goal is to come out of it feeling much better than I do now and ready to return to sparring with Tony.”
An ESPN spokesman told Front Office Sports that long-time guest hosts Pablo Torre and Frank Isola will fill in for Wilbon this week. What happens beyond this week is yet to be determined. ESPN executives will have to sit down with executive producer Erik Rydholm to hammer out the game plan for other popular guest hosts like Mina Kimes to banter with 78-year-old cohost Tony Kornheiser.
As for Wilbon’s NBA duties, the network has a deep bench of game/studio analysts who can come off the bench, including Tim Legler, Richard Jefferson, Brian Windhorst, Doris Burke, Stephen A. Smith and the newly hired Jason Kidd and Jeremy Lin.
In a statement, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said Wilbon has the network’s full support. And that the four letters will welcome back whenever he’s ready.
“Michael and his family have ESPN’s full support as he takes time away to focus on his health and well-being,” wrote Pitaro. “He’s an important member of our ESPN team and widely respected by his peers, sports fans and so many others through our industry.”
Wilbon has previously been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. During an appearance Monday on The Tony Kornheiser Show, he elaborated on his decision.
“For people who pay attention, I’ve been away. I didn’t do the show for a week last week. And I didn’t do the show for a week because I was just exhausted; beyond exhausted, lifeless. And this has been going on for a while. And people, you, and people close to me know that this has been happening. And you and [PTI executive producer] Erik [Rydholm] and [PTI coordinating producer] Matt Kelliher and everybody at PTI, you guys knew that I was not up to snuff … for weeks, and were trying to get me to take some time off and do something about it,” Wilbon said via Awful Announcing.
“You know how I am, you’ve known me as long as anybody, that’s not my way. My way is to run through the brick wall, to go to work. You go to work. It’s what you do. You go to work until somebody stops you from going to work. Well, that’s what this is now.”
The popular PTI has long been the most-watched show in ESPN’s weekday studio line-up. The show celebrated its birthday with a special episode on Oct. 22. More than 5,500 episodes have aired since its debut on Oct. 22, 2001.
