Sad news for fans of the, well, news: A familiar face who’s been a staple on American TV screens each night for years is making a big move. On Monday, Lester Holt announced that he’ll be stepping down from his position as anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News.
“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,” he wrote in a memo to colleagues, per the NYT.
Holt became anchor of Nightly News in 2015, after serving as the weekend anchor for eight years and co-anchoring Weekend TODAY for 12 years before that. He’s also been the principle anchor of Dateline since September 2011.
“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,” Holt reportedly stated to staffers. “As a 20-year-old radio reporter on the police beat chasing breaking news around San Francisco, I could never have imagined my career path would unfold in the way it has. What an amazing ride.”
This news comes after Hoda Kotb’s departure from the TODAY show in January. Kotb had been on TODAY for 17 years and left to spend more time with her family. She was replaced by Craig Melvin, who’d been the third hour co-host.
Why is Lester Holt Leaving NBC Nightly News?
While dedicated viewers might be sad that Holt won’t be covering the top news stories of the day, they may find some comfort in the fact that he’s not leaving NBC altogether — he’ll be transitioning to Dateline full-time and expanding his duties there, according to the NYT, though the outlet didn’t provide specifics about how his role would change.
When is Lester Holt leaving?
Some more good news — for now, at least. This change won’t be immediate, and Holt will continue to helm Nightly News until the beginning of the summer.
Who will be replacing Lester Holt?
NBC hasn’t yet named Holt’s successor, so stay tuned for more news on that front — and for details about other programs where Holt might appear next.
