After a decade at the helm of “NBC Nightly News,” veteran news anchor Lester Holt has signed off from the broadcast with heartfelt messages both FROM him and TO him.
Holt kicked off the May 30 episode by calling his time anchoring Nightly News “the honor of a lifetime.”
“After 10 years at Nightly News, it’s my final broadcast — from Paris to Tokyo, Uvalde to Ukraine, the greatest generation to the wild blue yonder, the news we’ve covered, the people we’ve met and the stories we’ve told. Your stories. My gratitude to all of you on this special night,” he said.
Holt announced his departure in February, saying he will turn his full focus to prime time news program “Dateline NBC.” Holt has been part of “Dateline” since 2011. But he says he wants to “dive deeper” into investigative projects and long-form storytelling.
Holt’s Son Stefan Follows in Footsteps, Shares Tribute
Lester Holt’s son, NBC Chicago anchor Stefan Holt, shared a special goodbye to his dad.
In a video NBC Chicago posted to its Instagram account, Stefan says, “Hey Dad, greetings from Chicago. This is really hard to believe… it’s your last broadcast on ‘Nightly News,’ and as you get ready to say farewell, I just want to say thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, not only for being the kind of father that every kid hopes for, but also for being the kind of mentor that every journalist dreams of, for all the critiques, the career advice, for all those years letting me hang out behind the scenes at 30 Rock trying to soak it all in.”
The 38-year-old went on, “I could not be more proud of your journey and all that you have done from anchoring here in Chicago to traveling to every hotspot around the world to spending 10 years on the desk of ‘NBC Nightly News. I know it didn’t come without sacrifice, but I also know deep down that it was worth it, and I’m grateful for all that you have done as a journalist and as a dad. I hope this next chapter with ‘Dateline’ is filled with as much contentment and hopefully a little more time to come hang out with Morgan and I and the grandkids here in Chicago.”
Stefan ended his message saying, “Dad, congratulations on your final broadcast. I love you.”
Lester Holt Ends News Broadcast On a Personal Note
In the final moments of his last time anchoring “NBC Nightly News,” 66-year-old Holt told his audience, “As anchor, it has been an honor to lead this program and an honor to be welcomed into your homes. I’m so grateful for your trust.”
“Around here, facts matter, words matter, journalism matters and you matter,” he continued. “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.”
“I’ll miss our evenings together, and I will miss the team that puts it all together, my dear friends and my colleagues. But for now, I just want to say thank you to my incredibly supportive and patient family and all of you,” he concluded. “Please continue to take care of yourself and each other, and I’ll do the same.”
Read more about Lester Holt’s future plans and who will replace him as anchor of “NBC Nightly News” here.
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Lester Holt’s Touching Final Broadcast & Son’s Message