Following Lester Holt’s recent announcement of his exit as the anchor of NBC Nightly News, whispers of who will replace him are rampant in the industry. The NBC veteran confirmed on February 24, that he will be stepping down from the position in summer this year. Although the exact date of his departure is yet to be announced, rumors of who will take over are already abuzz in the industry.
Here’s everything we know about who could be the successor to Lester Holt for the position of NBC Nightly News anchor.
Possible candidates who can replace Lester Holt
As per the February 24, 2025 report by Page Six, the candidates who will most likely succeed Lester Holt as the new NBC Nightly News anchor are Tom Llamas and Hallie Jackson.
Page Six has recently gathered exclusive information from an insider at NBC that the position will most likely go to Tom Llamas. The source shared, “It’s def Tom. It’s basically a race between Tom and Hallie Jackson, but Tom is 99 percent.” Furthermore, the New York Post reported last year in November 2024, that Llamas is “impatiently waiting” for Holt’s retirement. This implies that Llamas could be the one we see take over the coveted NBC position. However, readers must note that NBC has not officially announced a name yet. Hence it’s all just speculation at this point.
Tom Llamas first joined NBC in 2000 before briefly leaving for ABC News in 2014. However, he returned to NBC in 2021 and currently serves as a senior national correspondent. He is also the host of Top Story with Tom Llamas on NBC News Now.
Hallie Jackson, on the other hand, has been with NBC since 2014 and currently serves as the network’s chief White House correspondent. Additionally, she hosts Hallie Jackson NOW on NBC News Now.
