Beloved veteran TV personality, Jack Roper to retire
May 6, 2024
Jack Roper announced today that he will retire effective May 31, 2024 on Your Carolina, the talk show he has co-hosted for the past 17 years. “I’ve dreaded retirement because it would mean I would leave the place I’ve called home for over half my life,” said Jack during his announcement.
To be exact, it’s been 39 years since Jack Roper joined 7News as a meteorologist in 1986 and came home to his family in Union, South Carolina. He had been a finalist in a national weatherman search on ABC’s Good Morning America. As Jack forecasted the weather for 22 years, he earned his Meteorology degree from Mississippi State University, won an Emmy award in 2002, and embedded himself in the community through personal appearances at fundraising and charitable events. To no one’s surprise, Jack was the recipient of the South Carolina Broadcasters Association’s TV Personality of the Year award in 1988, 1989, 2004 and the Star Award in 2010.
A natural with children, Jack became host of “Kidsizzle” and received a Best Children’s Program award from South Carolina Broadcasters Association in 1993. Jack adds, “I cherished each opportunity to excite the kids with animals, magic, and music.”
The Greenville News readers honored Jack as Upstate’s Favorite TV Personality in 1994 and 1995. “We’re thrilled to have had Jack’s humor and dedication for as long as we did, said WSPA General Manager Kenny Lawrence. “It’s an honor to know him and his family. We look forward to the days Jack comes back in to visit his “Your Carolina” friends and delight viewers with his Magic Mondays.”
In 2007, Jack began hosting the locally produced show, Your Carolina. His co-hosts speak highly of him as Megan Heidlberg reflects, “I was so nervous when I got the job to produce and write for “the” Jack Roper. Yet we hit it off from day one. I eventually became Jack’s co-host where daily laughs on set were a given. Jack is definitely one of a kind.” Co-host and Managing Editor Jamarcus Gaston adds, “Not only does Jack’s spontaneity make the show fun, I see him give selflessly of his time day in and day out as a pillar of our community.”
A self-taught magician and a talented drummer, Jack adored entertaining the masses with an appearance on the “Hee Haw” variety show, played banjo on stage with the Smothers Brothers, played drums in concert with the Greenville Symphony, and was the drummer in his own ‘The Weatherman Band.’ This year, Jack won first place in the Upstate Stand Up Comedy competition. “When God made Jack Roper, he started with his funny bone! I spent decades laughing at Jack’s jokes during his weather forecasts. There is no one like him,“ said 7News anchor Amy Wood. Former 7News anchor Tom Crabtree adds “The affection Jack Roper’s audience feels for him has been evident from the very start of his long career. I’m so proud of Jack’s successes and wish him a happy retirement.” Jeff Roper, morning anchor at KIFI in Idaho Falls, followed in his father’s footsteps, “My Dad truly sums up what broadcasting is … to serve the community.”
Jack Roper remains humble. “I will always have deep respect for the Your Carolina community and our many advertisers who showed me incredible kindness these past 40 years. I’m grateful for the exceptional individuals I’ve had the pleasure of working with … and for the many opportunities provided to me throughout my years at WSPATV.”
A monthlong celebration of Jack’s contributions in the Upstate and beyond begins tomorrow May 2, 2024.
Visit WSPA.com/celebrating-roper and LivinUpstateSC.com to learn more or send well wishes.
About WSPA-TV/WYCW-TV
WSPA-TV (Channel 7) is a television station licensed to Spartanburg, South Carolina serving the market as an affiliate of CBS. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside Asheville, North Carolina–licensed CW owned-and-operated station WYCW (Channel 62). In addition to the main studio in Spartanburg is a studio in downtown Greenville in Camperdown Plaza and a news bureau in Anderson. Nexstar maintains a Capitol bureau in Columbia, covering state government for all the company’s South Carolina stations. WSPA-TV is the only station in the market headquartered in Spartanburg. 7 News broadcasts 36 hours of locally produced news each week on Channel 7 and an additional 16 hours of newscasts each week on sister station WYCW Channel 62.
