Lester Holt has announced his decision to step down as the anchor of “NBC Nightly News” after serving for a decade in this role. This news was reported by NBC News and others.
After being in the position since 2015, the veteran journalist is expected to leave in early summer. The 65-year-old will transition to focusing full-time on hosting NBC’s news magazine show, “Dateline.”
In a memo to colleagues, Holt expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to work with them and emphasized the importance of journalism. He mentioned his excitement about continuing as the anchor of “Dateline NBC” in a full-time capacity, allowing him to delve into topics he is passionate about.
Holt took over as the anchor of “Nightly News” from Brian Williams in the midst of controversy. NBC News has not yet announced who will succeed him in this role, which has an average of around 7 million daily viewers.
Throughout his tenure, Holt covered significant events such as three U.S. general elections, the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Janelle Rodriguez, executive vice president of programming for NBC News, praised Holt for his leadership during challenging times.
