9 News Anchors Have Exited TV Positions in 2025, Plus the Reasons Why They’re Leaving

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Feb 27, 2025

NBC Nightly News’ Lester Holt – NEW ADDITION TO THIS LIST

News Announced: February 24, 2025

Lester Holt is leaving his NBC News desk after a decade.

He revealed that instead of hosting the news program, he’ll be taking on a full time role at Dateline, where he’s acted as an anchor in the past. He’s last day on the news desk will be sometime in the summer.

He wrote in his note, via Variety, “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. 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. But before we play the walk off music, I have another announcement. 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….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.”

“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,” Lester added.

Find out the highest paid news anchors, including which star makes $30 million per year.

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Photos: Getty Images

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