Find out when Holt’s final broadcast is, how to watch and who’s replacing him.
WASHINGTON — Lester Holt will soon step down from his longtime role as anchor of “NBC Nightly News” after more than a decade.
Holt, 65, has led the network’s flagship evening program since 2015, but announced in February that he would be departing the role.
Throughout his tenure, Holt has been a staple in the modern media landscape, presenting a familiar face to viewers while delivering some of the biggest news of the 21st century, including reports on the political rise of Donald Trump, the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in the middle east.
When is Lester Holt’s last day on ‘NBC Nightly News’?
Holt will anchor his final weekday “NBC Nightly News” broadcast on Friday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC.
According to the network, Holt will continue to have a full-time role as the primary anchor for “Dateline,” which he has simultaneously anchored for nearly 15 years.
Why is Lester Holt leaving ‘Nightly News’?
In an interview with Variety, Holt explained that the decision came from a desire to spend more time on in-depth storytelling through “Dateline.”
“The big buy-in was to be able to do more of the hours,” Holt said. “I once spent two nights in prison for a Dateline, and I’ve done heartbreaking stories on the asthma crisis and the economy… but I want to do more of those.”
Holt added that shifting away from the fast pace of Nightly News would give him flexibility to do more longform stories. “I want to be able to tell a producer, ‘Yes, I’ll be there for that interview next week,’ because I won’t be jumping after whatever is happening for Nightly.”
Who is replacing Lester Holt on Nightly News?
NBC national correspondent Tom Llamas will take over as anchor of “NBC Nightly News” following Holt’s departure. Llamas will continue to host his primetime streaming program “Top Story with Tom Llamas” on NBC News NOW while stepping into the “Nightly News” role.
Llamas began his journalism career at NBC before moving to ABC News, where he served as chief national affairs correspondent and weekend anchor for “World News Tonight.” He returned to NBC four years ago and has since filled in on “Nightly News” and contributed to “Today.”
“I look forward to working with the world class journalists at Nightly News and Top Story to bring viewers the most important stories every night,” Llamas said in a statement.
