Scott Van Pelt said a “medical scare” related to his heart prevented him from fulfilling his usual duties as host of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” after Monday’s college football national championship game.
Van Pelt tweeted that his “heart got a little out of control” and revealed that he was taken to a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, on Monday afternoon. John Anderson and Michael Eaves replaced Van Pelt and ran the postgame program after Georgia beat Alabama to win its first national title since 1980.
“Disheartened to miss one of my favorite shows of the year, but happy to be well and home after a medical scare this afternoon.” Van Pelt tweeted. “Thanks to [Suburban Hospital JHM] Y [Cabin John Park VFD] for taking care of me. The heart got out of control a little bit, (SVT), which was pretty creepy, but it’s okay now. ”
Van Pelt referred to SVT, which stands for supraventricular tachycardia according to the Mayo Clinic. It is also known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and is described as an abnormally fast or erratic heartbeat that affects the upper chambers of the heart.
While Van Pelt confirmed that he is home, there was no further news about his condition or a schedule for his return.
Since joining ESPN in 2001 as a senior professional golf reporter, Van Pelt has worked in a variety of roles for the network. He provides information during the Masters and appears in various segments of “Bad Beats,” as well as hosting his own radio show, “The Scott Van Pelt Show.”
Van Pelt, 55, also hosts the late-night “SportsCenter,” which generally airs after primetime events.