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Who is sports broadcaster Maria Taylor? Meet the ESPN & NBC sportscaster at Paris 2024 Olympics
Taylor made a name for herself while working at ESPN and the SEC Network
MARIA Taylor was the first broadcaster to be stationed on the boat carrying the US team during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
Taylor will anchor NBC's Late Night program during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris - but what do we know about the sportscaster?
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Who is reporter Maria Taylor?
Maria Taylor is a sportscaster for NBC Sports who was born on May 12, 1987, in Alpharetta, Georgia.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Taylor made a name for herself at ESPN but later moved to NBC Sports, becoming the first female full-time host of Football Night.
Since then, she has covered several high-profile sporting events, including the NFL Draft, the NBA Finals, the Tokyo Olympics, Super Bowl LVI, and the Beijing Winter Olympics.
In addition to covering these events, she is also working on the production of an "eight-part television documentary series on the history of the Black quarterback in the NFL," according to her biography.
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In 2021, Taylor was named one of the “Most Powerful Women in Sports," by Adweek, and the following year, she was named on Time Magazine's TIME100 Next list.
Prior to the big leagues, Taylor reported with IMG College at the University of Georgia for three years, and in 2013, she was hired as a sideline reporter for the Saturday night college football telecast on ESPN2.
Taylor left ESPN after failing to agree on a contract extension in July 2021.
The New York Times reported that the separation between Taylor and ESPN came after sideline reporter Rachel Nichols claimed that Taylor was given the job of reporting at the NBA finals because she is black.
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Despite Taylor being ESPN's rising star, they couldn't come to a contractual agreement, the Times reported.
As of 2024, Taylor hosts two popular sports studio shows: Big Ten College Countdown, which precedes NBC Sports' primetime Big Ten Football on Saturday nights, and Football Night in America.
Is Maria Taylor married?
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Maria called off her engagement with Rodney Blackstock, before reuniting after three years to get married, according to The Netline,
They met in 2014 and were married in May 2019. The two ultimately went their separate ways but it is unclear exactly when they split.
In February 2021, Maria shared wedding pictures on social media with a new groom.
She captioned the Instagram post: "I love our love story."
The couple has known each other since their high school days.
Maria and her second husband, Jonathan Hemphill, are protective of their privacy and little is known about their marriage.
Hemphill is a British art dealer and businessman.
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How many children does Maria Taylor have?
In July 2023, Maria announced that she was expecting her first child with her husband.
"The last 3 years have been some of the most physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging years of my life," she wrote in a social media announcement.
"My journey to motherhood has not been a straight path. It’s been diverted by surgeries, multiple egg retrievals, and failed IVF cycles.
On December 30, 2023, People exclusively announced that Maria and her husband welcomed a baby boy.
The baby, named Roman Ryan Taylor Hemphill, was born on December 24, 2023.
Maria told People: "My journey to motherhood has not been a straight line. It has been long and difficult."
"There were several times I thought I would never become a mom," Taylor continued.
"But when my son was placed on my chest, our hearts were overwhelmed with love and gratitude."
"I immediately knew I had given birth to my soulmate," the sportscaster added.
What is Maria Taylor covering at the Paris Olympics 2024?
This year's Olympics will be Taylor's third stint at the event with NBC and will cover the games from across the city.
She hosted the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the Beijing Olympics in 2022 for NBC.
Taylor will present the NBC Late Night program from various locations and popular hotspots in Paris, highlighting the best moments of the event.
Molly Solomon, Executive Producer and President, NBC Olympics Production, said: "We’re excited that Maria, who anchors the most watched studio show in sports on NFL Sundays, will host our Late Night show with one of the world’s greatest cities as her stage.
"Each night under the Parisian lights, she will put her stamp on the day, with a look at the must-watch moments and best events, and some surprise guests stopping by."
How to watch the Olympics in the US
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While you may feel very far from the 2024 Paris Olympics, you can stay up-to-date with all of the action right from the comfort of your sofa.
You can watch on:
Or if you're not able to watch, you can follow along with The Sun's live blog for the latest updates from France.
Taylor also expressed her excitement to once again host the Olympic show for NBC.
She said: "Ever since I attended the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, it was a dream of mine to compete in the Games, which has now evolved to covering them.
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"As host of the Late Night show, I’m excited to tell the best stories of the day while moving about the city and hosting from the venues, cafes, plazas, and famous landmarks of Paris, one of the world’s most inspirational cities."
Taylor presented from Team USA's boat on the River Seine during the opening ceremonies before going on tour to different venues.
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