Snoop Dogg to carry Olympic flame, won't drop it like it's hot

Life, we know, is full of surprises, but we'll be honest, we didn't have 'Snoop Dogg to carry Olympic torch' on our 2024 bingo card.

Californian's most laidback advocate for exercise and clean-living is in Paris as an NBC television correspondent, having proved a hit with US TV viewers while commentating on events for streaming service Peacock at the Tokyo Olympics, alongside comedian Kevin Hart. And having attended the US Olympic Team Track and Field Trials last month, the rapper is set to lace up his own running shoes tomorrow (July 24) to help bear the Olympic flame on its journey across France, ahead of the Games' opening ceremony, on Friday, July 26. Snoop will assist the torch's progress through Saint-Denis, stage 67 on the route to Paris.

He is not the only celebrity who signed up to carry the Olympic flame in France, with actress Halle Berry and former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger also taking a turn.

In Tokyo, Snoop was particularly taken by the Equestrian event, which he pronounced “sick”, in a good way, obviously.

“The horse crip-walking!” he marvelled. “You see that? That’s sick. This horse is off the chain! I gotta get this motherfucker in a video.”

Speaking to Forbes this week, Snoop made some thoughtful and rather poignant observations on the importance of the Olympics.

“I think it's very special because it's a time where the whole world can come together and cheer for their countries, cheer for certain athletes,” he said. “And then at the same time, we come together as one as America. A lot of times in the world, it's always division and separation, but this is a chance for the world to be one page, for everybody to be together, to cheer for each other, to root for each other. So it's actually [like] a peace offering.”

“I'm honored to be here because I always represent peace, I love sports, I love the Olympics. And for me to be a part of it is only going to make it more peaceful and more passionate.”