It’s a bittersweet time — and one of change — for Lester Holt.
Last month, the veteran news anchor announced he would be departing his gig as host of NBC’s Nightly News, a role he has held for almost ten years.
He will be departing early this summer, and yesterday it was announced that fellow NBC journalist Tom Llamas will be taking over for him.
Lester has been host of the network’s flagship news broadcast since June 2015, following the demotion of his predecessor Brian Williams — Girls alum Allison Williams‘ dad — who at the time had just come under fire over false claims he made about a reporting trip to Iraq.
He joined the NBC family in 2000, and since September 2011, he has also been hosting Dateline, where he will remain with a more expanded and involved role once he steps down from Nightly News.
As of last year, he reportedly has an annual salary of $10 million, and a reported net worth of $35 million.
Lester is based in Manhattan with his wife Carol Hagen, who he married in 1982, and with whom he shares two sons, Stefan Holt, 37, who is also a journalist, and Cameron Holt, 34, who works in finance.
Carol is a real estate agent, and in August 2017, she helped sell the family’s former apartment, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom loft in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood, which sold for $6.4 million.
© Getty ImagesIn Lester’s statement announcing his departure, he shared: “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,” adding: “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.”
© GettyHe then shared that “before we play the walk off music, I have another announcement,” before revealing his forthcoming plans for Dateline. “I’m excited to report I will be continuing as anchor of Dateline NBC, but for the first time in a full time capacity whereby I will be expanding my footprint on the broadcast and crafting Dateline hours on subjects I care deeply about.”
© Getty“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,” he maintained.
His successor Tom, in his own statement following news of his promotion, shared: “Anchoring NBC Nightly News is a profound honor and one that carries tremendous responsibility. I look forward to working with the world class journalists at Nightly News and Top Story to bring viewers the most important stories every night,” and praising Lester, he added: “Lester Holt is a great man and one of the most trusted broadcasters of our time. Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth.”
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