Lester Holt Is Leaving ‘NBC Nightly News’ After 10 Years as Host: ‘The Time Has Come’

Lester Holt has officially announced that he is leaving NBC Nightly News. The shocking announcement was made on Monday, February 24, in a memo to staffers.

“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,” he said in the memo. “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.”

“After 10 years, 17 if you include my years on the weekends, the time has come for me to step away from my role as anchor of 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,” Lester, 65, said in the statement.

Additionally, he revealed what’s next for him after stepping down from the role, as his work on Dateline will continue in a new capacity.

“But before we play the walk off music, I have another announcement. I’m excited to report I will be continuing as anchor of Dateline NBC, but for the first time in a full time capacity whereby I will be expanding my footprint on the broadcast and crafting Dateline hours on subjects I care deeply about,” the statement continued. “I am thrilled to be able to work more closely with my enormously talented friends at Dateline as the broadcast continues to grow and attract new viewers in new places.”

It was not immediately announced who will be replacing Lester on NBC Nightly News.

In a message to staffers amid news of Lester’s departure, Janelle Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Programming for NBC News, said, “Because of Lester’s steady and thoughtful leadership, Nightly News has sustained its perch as a trusted and top news destination for millions of viewers across America.”

“He has led the network during some of the country’s most fraught and challenging times in the past decade, most notably during the early days of the pandemic when Lester’s voice was a source of comfort each night for so many,” she continued. “He’s taken viewers to the frontlines of every major story and sat down with world leaders, skillfully eliciting answers on consequential issues.”

Lester was first named the anchor of Nightly News in June 2015 after appearing on the weekend editions of the show. Through the years, he’s won audiences over with his dedication to NBC, decades of experience and commitment to accurately delivering the news during each and every broadcast.

In addition to his duties on Nightly News for the past decade and his Dateline job, Lester is a doting husband to wife Carol Hagen, a father to kids Stefan and Cameron Holt and a grandfather to grandsons Henry, Samuel, and James.