Lester Holt, the first African-American solo anchor of a weekday network nightly newscast, is leaving NBC Nightly News. The 65-year-old will anchor his final broadcast this summer.
This news comes shortly after Joy Reid‘s show The ReidOut was canceled on MSNBC and amid a wave of departures by prominent journalists and news anchors from major cable networks, including NBC’s Hoda Kotb, CBS’s Norah O’Donnell, CNN’s Chris Wallace, Fox News’s Neil Cavuto, and several others.
Find out more about his reasons for leaving the show and what his future plans are below.
Why Is Lester Holt Leaving ‘NBC Nightly News’?
Holt did not provide a specific reason for leaving the daily news program.
In a letter to staff members, the Emmy-winning news anchor called it the “honor of a lifetime” to work with his colleagues on the show.
“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,” Holt wrote in the letter, per NBC. “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.”
Is Lester Holt Retiring?
As of now, Holt is not leaving the NBC network or retiring but is transitioning to a full-time role on Dateline, where he has served as the principal anchor for nearly 15 years.
In his farewell message, he added, “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. 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.”
NBC News Executive Vice President of Programming, Janelle Rodriguez, issued a note to staff, praising Host for helping Nightly News become a “trusted and top news destination for millions of viewers across America.” She also emphasized that he “will continue with NBC News for years to come.”
What Is Lester Holt’s Net Worth?
Holt has an estimated net worth of $35 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The site also reports that he earns a salary of $10 million.
