Lester Holt delivered his final broadcast as anchor of NBC Nightly News on Friday, concluding a remarkable 10-year tenure with a heartfelt and optimistic sign-off that left viewers moved. 
The 66-year-old veteran journalist, who announced earlier this year that he would step down this summer, will remain with NBC, shifting his focus full-time to Dateline, which he has anchored since 2011. “As anchor, it has been an honor to lead this program and an honor to be welcomed into your homes,” Holt told his audience. “I’m so grateful for your trust around here. Around here, facts matter, words matter, journalism matters and you matter.” 
Reflecting on the past decade, Holt acknowledged the dark and challenging moments the nation has faced — from the pandemic and mass shootings to natural disasters — and highlighted the resilience and compassion required to navigate these crises. “I often like to leave you with something to smile about, moments that reassure and connect us,” he said, choking up as applause rang out from his colleagues. “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.” 
Holt, who became anchor in June 2015 after Brian Williams’ controversial exit, had previously anchored the weekend editions of NBC Nightly News for eight years and co-anchored Weekend Today for 12 years. He began his career in 1981 as a reporter at WCBS in New York, then moved to Los Angeles to report for KCBS before returning to WCBS in 1984. He later hosted Lester Holt Live on MSNBC and covered major national events before joining NBC’s main lineup.
During his decade at the helm of Nightly News, Holt became one of America’s most trusted faces in journalism, guiding viewers through the highs and lows of global and domestic events with poise and integrity. His final broadcast combined gratitude, reflection, and a reminder of the power of journalism in connecting communities.
Watch Holt’s moving farewell and a compilation of his most memorable coverage over the years.
