‘Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel’ Ending at HBO

HBO’s longest-running program is coming to an end.

Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel, a staple at the premium cabler since 1995, will end with its current season, the 29th in its run. The series, a sort of 60 Minutes for sports that mixed heavy investigative work with profiles of people in and around the sports world, has produced more than 300 episodes and won a trophy case’s worth of awards.

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“Since day one 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,” said Gumbel in a statement. “In the process we’ve had the opportunity to tell complex stories about race, gender, class, opportunity and so much more. Being able to do so at HBO for almost three decades has been very gratifying. I’m proud of the imprint we’ve made, so I’m ready to turn the page. Although goodbyes are never easy, I’ve decided that now’s the time to move on.”

Said Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, “For 29 seasons, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel has delivered a masterclass in sports storytelling, garnering 37 Sports Emmy Awards and three Peabody awards in the process. 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.”

Real Sports won its 37th Sports Emmy in May, for outstanding hosted edited series. Gumbel also received a lifetime achievement award at the ceremony.

The series, executive produced by Joe Perskie, also has three Peabody Awards, most recently in 2015 for a story on how trophy hunting has devastated the elephant population in Africa.

Deadline first reported the show’s ending.

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