Tom Llamas and Hallie Jackson in Contention to Replace Lester Holt on ‘Nightly News’: Report

Lestor Holt leaves big shoes to fill following his departure on NBC Nightly News, with executives reportedly eyeing top contenders like Tom Llamas and Hallie Jackson to take his place.

“It’s def Tom,” an NBC insider told Page Six on Monday, February 24. “It’s basically a race between Tom and Hallie Jackson, but Tom is 99 percent.”

Tom, 45, is a senior national correspondent and hosts the primetime newscast Top Story With Tom Llamas on NBC News NOW. Meanwhile, Hallie, 40, hosts Hallie Jackson NOW on NBC News NOW, anchors MSNBC’s 3 p.m. hour and serves as the senior White House correspondent.

Lestor, 65, shocked longtime NBC viewers on Monday, February 24, by announcing he was leaving his coveted anchor position at NBC Nightly News to devote more of his time to the network’s Dateline series. The longtime TV personality spent more than a decade as the lead anchor before deciding to make the major career move.

“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,” Lester wrote in a memo to staff on February 24. “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,” he added.

Though he would be stepping back from NBC Nightly News, Lester was not planning on leaving the network completely.

“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,” Lester told his coworkers. “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.”

An exact date for Lestor’s final NBC Nightly News telecast has yet to be announced, however, he’s anticipated to be departing in the “early summer” of 2025, according to the network.

Shortly after the news broke, several NBC alums reacted to Lestor’s big announcement. Savannah Guthrie showed her support for her colleague in a sweet Instagram message, writing, “Congrats to @lesterholtnbc on an amazing decade and the new chapter about to unfold! I’m grateful for getting to share so many historic moments right by your side – always, always the class act.”

Meanwhile, Today alum Hoda Kotb shared a photo of the journalist and wrote, “Lester! Hats off to a great run on @nbcnightlynews ! Now all thats left is a move to the burbs.. and a @toyota sienna mini van! Xx love you @lesterholtnbc. Xo.”