Michael Wilbon Takes Leave From ESPN for Health Reasons

Michael Wilbon Tim Heitman/Getty Images

Long-time Pardon the Interruption host Michael Wilbon says he is taking a leave of absence from ESPN to deal with health issues.

In a statement posted on X, Wilbon wrote he is taking “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.”

Wilbon has co-hosted Pardon the Interruption with Tony Kornheiser since the show’s inception in 2001, where the two former Washington Post sportswriters discuss and debate the day’s news. PTI celebrated its 25th anniversary in October.

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Wilbon said on Kornheiser’s podcast Monday that he missed last week’s run of PTI due to feeling “exhausted — beyond exhuasted, lifeless” and that Kornheiser and others close to him had encouraged him to take some time away from the show and from ESPN’s NBA coverage, where he is a studio analyst.

Wilbon noted that he is diabetic, saying that “The bill has come due from too many red eye flights and just the stuff that I had ignored. When you’re a diabetic person and you ignore some of these things, the bill comes due, and it’s a damn more expensive bill than it might be for other people.”

ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement that “Michael and his family have ESPN’s full support as he takes time away to focus on his health and well-being. He’s an important member of our ESPN team and widely respected by his peers, sports fans and so many others throughout our industry. We are here for Michael every step of the way and look forward to welcoming him back whenever he is ready.”

Frequent PTI guest hosts Pablo Torre and Frank Isola will fill in for Wilbon this week, and the network’s roster of NBA analysts will cover his work on those shows.