Veteran journalist Lester Holt concluded his remarkable ten-year run as anchor of NBC Nightly News on Friday, May 30, 2025. He was replaced by Tom Llamas on Monday, June 2, 2025. While stepping down from the nightly newscast, Holt continues his association with NBC, remaining a prominent figure on the network's "Dateline" program.
Holt's announcement in February 2025 marked the end of an era. His decade-long tenure at the helm of NBC Nightly News, beginning in 2015, cemented his place as a leading figure in American journalism. Holt holds the distinction of being the first Black solo anchor of a weekday network nightly newscast in the United States. His journey to this significant achievement began long before his time at NBC.
Born on March 8, 1959, in Marin County, California, Holt's early life saw him raised in a diverse family, with an African American father and a mother of Jamaican heritage. This background instilled in him a strong sense of community and a dedication to factual reporting. His interest in broadcasting developed in Sacramento, influenced by his brother's career as a disc jockey. He attended Cordova High School and California State University, Sacramento, before pursuing a career in radio and ultimately transitioning into the world of television news in 1981 at WCBS in New York City.
His career has taken him across various prominent news organizations, including KNXT in Los Angeles, WBBM in Chicago (where he anchored the evening news for 14 years), MSNBC, and eventually to his iconic role at NBC. Along the way, he co-anchored "Weekend Today," hosted "Lester Holt Live," and anchored the weekend edition of "NBC Nightly News" before becoming the permanent weekday anchor in 2015. Holt's career has been defined by his coverage of significant global events, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Arab Spring, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He also notably moderated the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Beyond his professional achievements, Holt is known for his family life; he’s married to Carol Hagen, and they have two sons, Stefan, who followed in his father's footsteps and is now a news anchor at WMAQ in Chicago, and Cameron, an executive director at Morgan Stanley in New York City. Holt's commitment to excellence in journalism has been recognized through numerous awards, including multiple Emmys and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.
His departure from NBC Nightly News does not diminish his significant contribution to the field. Holt’s tenure solidified his reputation as one of America’s most trusted news anchors, a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations of journalists.