Why Is Lester Holt Leaving ‘NBC Nightly News’? New Full-Time ‘Dateline’ Role Explained

Lester Holt shocked fans when he announced he’s leaving the coveted anchor position at NBC Nightly News in favor of devoting more of his time to the network’s Dateline series. Closer breaks down Lester’s decision as well as his new role at NBC‘s investigative show focusing on true-crime stories.

Why Is Lester Holt Leaving ‘NBC Nightly News’?

After a decade as the lead anchor on NBC Nightly News, Lester decided to make a major career move.

“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,” Lester wrote in a memo to staff on February 24, 2025. “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.”

“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,” he added.

What Is Lester Holt’s New Role at NBC’s ‘Dateline’?

Though he will be stepping back from NBC Nightly News, Lester is not leaving the network completely.

“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 and crafting Dateline hours on subjects I care deeply about,” Lester told his coworkers. “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.”

How Long Has Lester Holt Worked at ‘Dateline?

Lester has been the principal anchor at Dateline since 2011. He took over the anchor desk on NBC Nightly News in 2015 after the departure of Brian Williams.

When Is Lester Holt Leaving ‘NBC Nightly News’?

Although an exact date hasn’t been announced for Lester’s final broadcast on NBC Nightly News, he’ll be departing in the “early summer” of 2025, according to the network.

Lester Holt Is Proud of His Work on ‘Dateline’

“To be associated with a primetime broadcast news program that has run this long is pretty amazing — there aren’t too many shows that have had this kind of longevity,” the California native told People in 2017 when celebrating the show’s 26th anniversary.

“I always get amused, because there are people who only know me from Dateline — ‘There goes that Dateline dude!’” he joked. “But of course, I’m thinking I’m also the NBC Nightly News dude, so it’s funny. But people really want to get into it and discuss some of these stories with me.”

Lester Holt Revealed the Secret to Dateline’s Success

“I think Dateline is popular — and the murder mysteries extremely popular — because they’re pulse-pounding dramas, but they’re real life,” Lester told the publication. “They really happened. They play like movies in terms of the set-ups and the scenarios, but of course there are real people and real lives impacted, and I think that just adds an element that people find hard to resist.”

He added, “These are fascinating stories of people who could have easily been your next door neighbor or your coworker, And that’s pretty bizarre.”