Dick Van Dyke will celebrate his 98th birthday with a '98 Years of Magic' CBS special

Dick Van Dyke's 98th birthday will be commemorated with a special show scheduled to debut on CBS. According to a Deadline report, "Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic" will air on Thursday, December 21, from 9:00 to 11:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and will also be available for streaming on Paramount+.

The program aims to celebrate the iconic entertainer's significant influence on the entertainment industry over the course of eight decades. Dick Van Dyke and his wife, Arlene Silver, are producing the special in collaboration with White Label Productions.

The program will travel back in time to the iconic set of The Dick Van Dyke Show and feature music and dance, performances, as well as special guests, and an iconic holiday number.

The rumored two-hour tribute is set to feature songs and archival footage highlighting Dick Van Dyke's memorable moments, including iconic roles in movies such as Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Reflecting on the announcement, Van Dyke shared, "I started with CBS under contract in 1955 with the CBS morning show, then The Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis Murder. I’ve been with the CBS family for almost 70 years, and I couldn’t be prouder. I’m incredibly honored that CBS will be throwing a 98th birthday special for me. Can’t wait to be part of the show!"

Upon learning the news, fans expressed their joy. One Facebook user commented, "Loved him on Days of Our Lives recently!! Congratulations on this well-deserved celebration!!!" Another added, "Wonderful! Great news!" A third fan stated, "I love him, he's been a long-time favorite. I won't miss this."

The last time we saw Van Dyke on our screens was when the 97-year-old appeared on The Masked Singer disguised as 'Gnome.' Taking on Frank Sinatra's hit song 'When You’re Smiling', Van Dyke wowed us all with his abilities, once again doubling down on the fact that getting older should not stop you from living out your dreams.

"This is the most seasoned and most decorated we’ve had on our show, ladies and gentlemen," said 43-year-old host Nick Cannon as the iconic actor revealed his identity.

"It was really dark in there... I couldn’t see anything," Van Dyke told the audience.

Much like the rest of us, judge and former Pussycat Dolls frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger had tears in her eyes as she told the star about how much she adores him.

"I love you so much, we love you, the whole world loves you so much. It’s an honor to have you on our show," she said. "I can’t believe you’re here, I’m trying to play it cool. You look so gorgeous, you look so handsome."

Jenny McCarthy, another judge on the show also praised the reveal stating that she was "so blown away", while Ken Jeong added that this was "our greatest reveal ever."

After his stint on the show, Van Dyke spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the appearance, telling the outlet that while he had a great time, it was also the "strangest" thing he's ever done.

"I was so positive that nobody would ever guess it was me, that they would have somebody 97 years old on there," he explained. "I would say it’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever done. But they didn’t put a mask on me. They made a great big like Pumpkinhead thing that I had to do.

Describing the unusual experience, he remarked, "It was a strange encounter. I had two small peepholes through which I could see the audience. It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic."

When questioned about his feelings regarding being acknowledged as the iconic figure that he is, he replied, "You know what's enjoyable now? We're on our third generation, and I often encounter little kids who see me and exclaim, 'It's [referring to his Mary Poppins character] Bert!' I love that. Kids are just discovering those movies now, and it's wonderful to be part of a third generation."

"Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic" is scheduled to debut next month.

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