Turner Classic Movies Host to Take a Break

Robert Osborne, the longtime host of the Turner Classic Movies channel, plans to take a three-month leave of absence, the channel said in a statement Monday. Mr. Osborne, 79, will be undergoing minor surgery, the channel said, without specifying for what, as well as taking a vacation.

Perhaps assuaging viewers’ concerns, the channel noted that Mr. Osborne, who has been the channel’s host since 1994, recently renewed his contract. In his place, guest hosts including Robert Wagner, Jane Powell and Tippi Hedren will step in, with others to be announced “in the coming weeks,” the statement said. In the interim, Mr. Osborne will still appear in taped features like the channel’s guest programmer series and “The Essentials,” a weekly showing of a must-see film.