Source: Slaven Vlasic / Getty
Longtime NBC anchor Lester Holt announced his departure as anchor of “NBC Nightly News” this summer after over a decade in the role.
Holt, 65, will continue as the primary anchor for “Dateline,” a position he has held for nearly 15 years.
“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 wrote in a note Monday to “Nightly” and “Dateline” 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.”
The news of his departure was disclosed in a memo to network staff, with no immediate successor named.
Holt has been a trusted figure in the media landscape, covering major events such as the political rise of Donald Trump and the COVID-19 pandemic.
His departure follows other high-profile anchor changes, including Norah O’Donnell stepping down from “CBS Evening News.”