As TVNewser reported exclusively this morning, Bob Costas refused to host Larry King Live last night, because he didn’t want to talk about Natalee Holloway and Dennis Rader for an hour. CNN has sent TVNewser statements from Costas and LKL’s EP:

“I didn’t think the subject matter of Thursday’s show was the kind of broadcast that I should be doing. I suggested some alternatives but the producers preferred the topics they had chosen. I was fine with that, and respectfully declined to participate. There were no hard feelings at all. It’s not a big deal. I’m sure there are countless topics that will be mutually acceptable in the future.”

–Bob Costas

“Bob decided he was not comfortable with the subject matter that we were covering on the show. So it was a mutual decision for him not to do it. We love having Bob guest host the show and since Larry King Live covers an extremely extensive palate of subjects, there will always be shows that he will enjoy hosting.”

–Wendy Walker

Senior executive producer, Larry King Live