‘NBC Nightly News’ anchor Lester Holt signs off in final broadcast after a decade: ‘The honor of a lifetime’

“NBC Nightly News” anchor Lester Holt called his decade-long tenure helming the network’s evening broadcast the “honor of a lifetime” as he bade farewell during his final newscast Friday night.

“As an anchor, it has been an honor to lead this program and an honor to be welcomed into your homes,” the 66-year-old newsman said as he signed off from the 30 Rock studio one last time.

“I’m so grateful for your trust.”

Lester Holt signed off from the “Nightly News” studio for the final time Friday.AP
The veteran journalist, who will remain at the Peacock network on “Dateline,” where he has been principal anchor for 15 years, thanked viewers, along with his family and crew, during the heartfelt send-off.

“Around here, facts matter, words matter, journalism matters, and you matter,” Holt said.

“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.”

Holt was surrounded by tearful colleagues during the heartfelt send-off.NBC
Holt closed the broadcast, surrounded by tearful colleagues, by saying he would miss spending the evenings with his audience, before wishing his successor, Tom Llamas, “great success.”

“In the meantime, please continue to take care of yourself and each other, and I’ll do the same,” he concluded as a video tribute celebrated the longtime reporter’s coverage and interviews.

The veteran newscaster will remain at the Peacock network on “Dateline.”NBC
Holt, who began his career in 1981 at CBS, joined NBC News in 2003, where he held various anchoring and reporting roles during his 22 years at the network.

He was named “Nightly News” anchor in 2015 when his predecessor, Brian Williams, ended his 28-year career at the network in disgrace after falsely claiming he was aboard a helicopter shot down in Iraq.

The evening news has remained firmly in second place in the ratings behind ABC under Holt’s watch.

Tom Llamas, 45, will take over the legendary evening news desk starting Monday.Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Holt, who announced his departure in February, recently told Variety that his decision to leave the anchor chair once occupied by Tom Brokaw stemmed from his desire to return to his reporting roots on the network’s newsmagazine program.

He explained the full-time gig will give him more freedom to “flex different news muscles” than his anchoring role.

“I’m not here to fill Lester Holt’s shoes—I’m here to show they were never my size to begin with.”

“I never saw myself doing this job forever,” he told the outlet of his “Nightly News” position.