Lester Holt to Step Down as Anchor of NBC's 'Nightly News' After a Decade

 In a major shift for NBC News, Lester Holt, the long-standing anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, has announced that he will be stepping down from his position at the start of the summer. This marks the end of a remarkable decade at the helm of the program, where Holt played a pivotal role in delivering breaking news and guiding viewers through some of the most defining events of the past decade.

Though Holt will be stepping away from Nightly News, his career at NBC is far from over. He will continue to serve as the full-time anchor of Dateline, a role he has held for nearly 15 years. Holt’s deep connection to the network and its audience remains strong, and he will undoubtedly continue to shape NBC’s news programming in new ways.

Lester Holt’s tenure as anchor of Nightly News began in June 2015, after he had already made a name for himself by steering weekend editions of the show for eight years. Prior to that, Holt had co-anchored Weekend TODAY for 12 years. Throughout his time as anchor, he covered pivotal events, including the political rise of former President Donald Trump, the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

In his farewell message to Nightly News and Dateline staff, Holt reflected on his career journey, recalling his early days as a radio reporter covering breaking news in San Francisco. “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.

Over the years, Holt’s interviews with world leaders made headlines and set the news agenda, including one-on-one discussions with prominent figures such as Presidents Trump, Biden, and Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and more. Holt's commitment to covering critical global issues, from deadly hurricanes to mass shootings, demonstrated his dedication to delivering crucial news to the American public.

Nightly News has remained a top television program throughout Holt’s tenure, consistently attracting around 7 million viewers each week. His efforts to inform and educate have even extended to younger audiences, with Holt serving as the anchor for Nightly News: Kids Edition, an Emmy-nominated digital newscast designed to engage and inform children.

Lester Holt’s legacy as one of the most trusted and respected voices in American journalism is solidified. In fact, he was named the “most-trusted television news personality in America” in polls from The Hollywood Reporter and Morning Consult—a testament to his credibility and dedication to the craft. As Holt transitions to Dateline, his influence on NBC News will undoubtedly continue to shape the landscape of broadcast journalism for years to come.

While NBC has yet to announce a successor for Holt, the network’s executive vice president of programming, Janelle Rodriguez, described him as “the beating heart of this news organization,” underscoring the profound impact Holt has had on the network and its audience over the past decade.

As he moves into the next chapter of his distinguished career, Lester Holt leaves an indelible mark on both NBC Nightly News and Dateline, having anchored two of the most iconic news programs in television history.