NBC has chosen Tom Llamas to replace Lester Holt as the lead anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the network announced on Wednesday, March 5.
Llamas, 45, is currently a senior national correspondent and anchor of Top Story with Tom Llamas on NBC NOW. He will stay on with Top Story when he assumes his new role this summer.
“Tom has the winning combination of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity — all characteristics that have long been trademarks of NBC Nightly News,” NBC News executive vice president of programming Janelle Rodriguez said in a statement. “Additionally, he’s been instrumental in growing NBC News NOW into the leading streaming news network, helping to introduce NBC News to a new generation of viewers.”
Llamas has previously served as a fill-in anchor for Holt, 65, who has held his position since 2015.
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“Anchoring NBC Nightly News is a profound honor and one that carries tremendous responsibility,” Llamas said. “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.”
In succeeding Holt, Llamas, the son of Cuban refugees, will become the first Latino journalist to anchor the weeknight edition of NBC Nightly News. José Díaz-Balart is the current Saturday anchor.
“Lester Holt is a great man and one of the most trusted broadcasters of our time,” Llamas added. “Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth.”
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Before joining NBC in 2021, Llamas spent seven years with ABC News as the network’s chief national affairs correspondent and the Sunday anchor of ABC World News Tonight. It’s a full-circle moment for the news veteran, whose first professional job in the industry came at NBC as an overnight production assistant and campaign embed.
As for Holt, he will remain at NBC in a full-time capacity, sticking with Dateline, where he has been the principal anchor since 2011.
On a call with NBC Nightly News staffers, Holt called the anchor role “not only one of the great jobs, but it’s a great staff [Llamas is] inheriting.”
“As I told him, it’s important to make the broadcast his, and you will over time, so we’ll make this transition work,” he continued. “But I’m happy, happy for Tom and his family – and crush it my friend.”
Holt has not announced the exact date he will step down. NBC Nightly News airs seven nights a week at 6:30 p.m. ET.
