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Lester Holt Signs Off From ‘NBC Nightly News’ With Special Message
Lester Holt is saying good night to NBC Nightly News.
The longtime journalist, 66, emotionally signed off May 30 after more than a decade on the show.
"Before we go tonight, a word about me," he shared on the broadcast. "You may recall the announcement back some months ago that I would be leaving my post here at Nightly News in order to expand my role as host of Dateline. Well, today is that day. After 10 years, this is my last nightly news broadcast."
Holt went on to reflect on his legacy.
"As anchor, it has been an honor to lead this program and an honor to be welcomed into your homes," he continued. "I'm so grateful for your trust. Around here, facts matter, words matter, journalism matters and you matter. Over the last decade, we have shared some dark and harrowing days and nights from our country—the pandemic, mass shootings, natural disasters—each testing our resilience and our compassion. That's why I often like to leave you with something to smile about, moments that reassure and connect us."
He then thanked his behind-the-scenes team, welcoming out the crew that makes his show possible.
"I'll miss our evenings together, and I will miss the team that puts it all together, my dear friends and my colleagues," Holt explained. "But for now, I just want to say thank you to my incredibly supportive and patient family, and all of you."
Holt—who married Carol Hagen in 1982—additionally wished his successor Tom Llamas "great success" when his show premieres Monday.
He concluded his message with his signature optimism: "I'll see you on Dateline. In the meantime, please continue to take care of yourself and each other. And I'll do the same."
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In February, Holt announced his plan to step back from his position and shift to a full-time role atDateline, where he has served as a principal anchor for almost 15 years, starting in September 2011.
“A smile comes to my face when I think that withNightly News, andDateline, I have now anchored two of the most successful and iconic television news programs in broadcast history,” Lester wrote in a note to staff of both series,shared by NBC News, at the time. “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.”
He added of his journey, “What an amazing ride.”
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Shortly after his announcement, Holt's Today colleagues including Savannah Guthrie and Dylan Dreyer reflected on time spent with their co-anchor.
"Congrats to @lesterholtnbc on an amazing decade and the new chapter about to unfold!” Guthrie wrote alongside on Instagram a photo of her working with Holt during last November’s presidential election coverage. “I’m grateful for getting to share so many historic moments right by your side – always, always the class act.”
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As for Dreyer, she thanked Holt for making her “feel so comfortable" after she joined Today’s third hourin 2012.
“It has been a true honor to work and grow alongside him from then, to hurricane coverage, to@nbcnightlynews, to fun experiments on@nightlykids,” the 43-year-old host wrote on social media alongside photos of the duo. “A true professional, an incredible interviewer, anchor [and] friend. Congratulations on this next phase of your inspirational career!”
Keep reading for a closer look at the Today show family...
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Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
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