Image Credit: Patrick Randak/NBC
Lester Holt is one of the several famous news anchors leaving their positions at major news networks. However, he isn’t going far. The longtime NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor announced his exit from the daily news program on February 24, 2025, and he revealed where his next job will be. Now, just one question remains: who will replace Lester on Nightly News?
Find out what we know so far about who could replace Lester on NBC Nightly News below.
Did Lester Holt Quit NBC?
No, Lester is not leaving NBCUniversal. He is only leaving the network’s program Nightly News.
Why Is Lester Holt Leaving NBC Nightly News?
Lester did not cite a reason behind his departure, but in a letter to NBC staff, he noted that he is staying in the network. NBC News Executive Vice President of Programming, Janelle Rodriguez, praised Lester for making Nightly News a “trusted and top news destination for millions of viewers across America.” She also credited him with leading 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.”
Janelle also referred to Lester’s various on-air reports over the years. “He’s taken viewers to the frontlines of every major story and sat down with world leaders, skillfully eliciting answers on consequential issues,” she wrote before concluding, “Quite simply, Lester is the beating heart of this news organization.”
(Photo by: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC)
Who Will Replace Lester Holt?
NBC News has not named a replacement for Lester at the time of publication. However, a few in-network names are reportedly being eyed to succeed him. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Top Story anchor Tom Llamas — who has also filled in on Nightly News a few times — could be a replacement. Nightly weekend anchors Hallie Jackson and Jose Diaz-Balart are possible successors as well.
Where Is Lester Holt Going Next?
Lester is staying with NBC and is transitioning into a full-time job on Dateline, where he has worked for nearly 15 years in a principal role.
In his letter to staff members, the Emmy Award-winning news anchor informed colleagues that he was “expanding [his] footprint on the broadcast and crafting Dateline hours on subjects [he] care[s] deeply about.”
“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,” Lester wrote in his staff memo. “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.”
