Lester Holt to step down as anchor of 'NBC Nightly News'
Share and Follow

*The video shows Lester Holt at the Paris Olympics.

(The Hill) — Lester Holt plans to step down this summer as anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” a position he has held since 2015.

Holt told staff on Monday he will remain an anchor with NBC’s “Dateline,” a program he has presided over since 2011.

Holt took over as the anchor of “NBC Nightly News” after stints hosting the weekend “Nightly News” and “Today” show.

FILE – Moderator Lester Holt listens before a Republican presidential primary debate hosted by NBC News, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

The veteran journalist and anchor has moderated presidential debates, reported from natural disasters and was the leading face of NBC News coverage of major world events during his years at the helm of the evening broadcast.

Holt succeeded former anchor Brian Williams, who left NBC News amid controversy before taking a job hosting a show on NBC’s sister cable channel MSNBC.

Holt did not give a specific reason for his departure in his announcement, but the network reported he wrote to staff that “a smile comes to my face when I think that with Nightly News, and Dateline, I have now anchored two of the most successful and iconic television news programs in broadcast history.”

NBC News did not immediately name a replacement for Holt.

“He has led the network during some of the country’s most fraught and challenging times in the past decade,” said Janelle Rodriguez, executive vice president of programming for NBC News, in a message to staff. “Quite simply, Lester is the beating heart of this news organization.”

Holt’s departure comes at a time of major changes across the broadcast news industry, as media companies look to retool themselves around streaming offerings amid declines in linear television viewership.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Amid Strained China Relations, Trump Extends Invitation to Japan’s Leader for Strengthened US Alliance

WASHINGTON – In a telephone conversation on Friday, President Donald Trump extended…

Uvalde School Shooting: Trial Commences for Police Officer Accused of Delayed Response

For nearly four years, families affected by the tragic 2022 elementary school…

Tragic Mountain Lion Attack Claims Life of Hiker in Northern Colorado

A tragic incident unfolded in northern Colorado on Thursday as a woman…

Escalating Tensions: Trump and Iranian Leaders Clash Over Intensifying Iran Protests

Tensions between the United States and Iran intensified on Friday as U.S.…

Tragic Discovery: Missing Alabama 4-Year-Old Johnathan Boley Found Deceased After Extensive Search Efforts

Authorities in Birmingham, Alabama, have located the body of a 4-year-old boy…

New Year’s Eve Sparks Fire Safety Campaign: Savannah Fire Department Launches Initiative After Busy Night

SAVANNAH, GA. – As the New Year celebrations fade into memory, the…

Pickup Truck Collision: Pedestrians Injured and Building Damaged in Brevard County Incident

COCOA, Fla. – A tragic accident in Cocoa claimed the life of…

Explosion and Fire in Hernando County RV Leaves Two Critically Injured

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A devastating incident in Hernando County has…