Lester Holt announced his decision to step down as the anchor of NBC Nightly News in a note shared with staff on Monday (February 24), USA TODAY reports.
Holt, 65, who previously served as the show’s weekend anchor from 2007 to 2015, took over as the weekday host on June 22, 2015. The veteran broadcaster will remain with NBC and plans to take on a full time role at Dateline, having served as the program’s anchor since 2011.
“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,” Holt said via USA TODAY.
Holt added that he was “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” in the note. The 65-year-old will continue his role as NBC Nightly News anchor until the summer, according to USA TODAY.
“Quite simply, Lester is the beating heart of this news organization,” said Janelle Rodriguez, NBC News executive vice president of programming, via USA TODAY. “He’s earned deep respect and reverence from our newsroom, industry colleagues and, most importantly, viewers. What’s equally remarkable is how Lester has masterfully filled this esteemed role with extraordinary grace and humility. He’s proven time and time again why he stands among the great legends of broadcast news.”
Holt’s decision came less than a month after NBC News chief political analyst and former Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd announced his departure in a memo shared to his staff on January 31.
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