NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt to leave after 10-year run
Lester Holt, the trusted face of “NBC Nightly News” for over a decade, takes a step down from the newscast.
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Nightly News anchor, Lester Holt, has announced that he is stepping down from the show this summer. On Monday, the anchor confirmed he will exit the show after ten years reporting from the evening news desk. The main reason is to focus on his role at “Dateline,” where he has been the principal anchor since September 2011.
“It has truly been the honor of a lifetime to work with each of you every day, keeping journalism as our true north and our viewers at the center of everything we do,” Holt stated in a memo to his colleagues. He has held the role of NBC Nightly News anchor since June 2015. With his resignation, Holt becomes the latest high-profile news personality to exit a role.
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Why is Lester Holt leaving NBC Nightly News?
The reason behind Holt's departure from Nightly News is heavily linked to the desire to devote himself full time to NBC News’ “Dateline,” which he also anchors. The 65-year-old claimed on his message he will be continuing as anchor of this show, but that it will be the first time he can actually expand his footprint on the broadcast and crafting Dateline hours on important subjects.
“I am thrilled to be able to work more closely with my enormously talented friends at Dateline as the broadcast continues to grow and attract new viewers in new places,” Holt stated, as he also recalled his first job when he was a young journalist in San Francisco.
Lester Holt as the NBC Nightly News anchor
Back in the year of 2015, Holt became the first African-American solo anchor of a weekday network nightly newscast. As he ascended to the job, Holt represented a calming presence at NBC News. His serene and low-key demeanor helped the news division move forward after a controversial period, when Brian Williams, the anchor at the time, had embellished a story about a helicopter attack in Iraq.
Holt was under fire in April 2024, when he was openly advocating for his son Stefan Holt to take his coveted anchor seat once he retires. However, NBC has yet to announce who will step into the “NBC Nightly News” anchor role. Many names such as reporters Tom Llamas, Hallie Jackson, and Jose Diaz-Balart are being seen as his potential replacements.