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Tom Llamas Takes the Helm at NBC Nightly News
Get ready to see a new face behind the desk at NBC Nightly News. Veteran journalist Tom Llamas will officially take over as anchor on Monday, June 2nd, replacing Lester Holt, who announced his departure earlier this year after a decade in the role. Holt, who served as both anchor and managing editor, will transition to Dateline full-time.
A recent NBC promo highlighted the rich history of the program, which debuted in 1948 and adopted its current title in 1970. The advertisement showcased previous anchors John Chancellor, Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, and Lester Holt before introducing Llamas as the latest to carry the torch.
Llamas, 45, is no stranger to NBC. He previously served as a correspondent and fill-in anchor, and currently anchors Top Story on the NBC News Now streaming service, a role he will maintain alongside his new Nightly News duties. The promo emphasized the enduring nature of trust in news, passing the baton from Holt to Llamas.
Llamas’s career began with an internship at a local Telemundo station, followed by roles at NBC as an overnight production assistant and campaign embed. He honed his skills at WTVJ and WNBC before joining ABC News, where he served as Chief National Affairs Correspondent and anchored weekend editions of World News Tonight. He returned to NBC in 2021 as a senior national correspondent and subsequently became the anchor for Top Story.
Llamas is making history on several fronts. He will be the first Latino journalist to anchor the weeknight edition of Nightly News, the fourth person to anchor the show since its renaming in 1970, and the first to simultaneously host a streaming newscast and hold cable network responsibilities.