Lester Holt and Joy Reed leave TV anchor gigs as they shuffle the lineup
Joy Reid and Lester Holt are the latest to quit their positions as TV news adapts to changing audience habits.
TV status is changing towards the exit door as big-name anchors and late-night comics fire, cancel and career transitions.
More than dozens of well-known anchors and television hosts are separated from the gigs on major networks such as CBS, NBC, MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN. In particular, Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” was cancelled in May 2026 by effective CBS.
Anthony Adolnath, chairman of broadcast and digital journalism at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications, previously told USA Today that news organizations “have “made a lot of money” and “do not focus on a lot of anchors” to make younger audiences engage in non-evangelistic content.
Let’s take a look at all the TV anchors and hosts who have recently left their roles.
Stephen Colbert, “Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
CBS has cancelled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and its final show is scheduled for May 2026.
Host Stephen Colbert announced shocking news to studio audiences at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City on Thursday, July 17th. “I want to let you know what I found last night,” Colbert told the audience. “Next year will be our last season. The network will finish the ‘Late Show’ in May. ”
When the audience expressed their disappointment with a loud moan, Colbert said, “Yeah, I share your feelings.”
Deboraneville, “Inside Edition”
After hosting “Inside Edition” for 30 years, Deboranaville bid another goodbye to viewers in May 2025.
The longtime anchor held her final episode on May 21, where she thanked her Los Angeles colleagues for their immeasurable work ethic and for their fans to welcome her into the house for years.
“I’m literally swimming with gratitude,” Norbill said. “I stayed so long because you welcomed me and the stories we told. I know that many of you are a lot of your companions, and you said you missed our daily visit. I’m going to miss them too.”
Lester Holt, “NBC Nightly News”
In a note to staff in February 2025, Leicester Holt confirmed he will be leaving as anchor for “NBC Nightly News,” which he has served since 2015.
“With ‘Nightly News’ and ‘Dateline’, a smile comes to my face when I think I’m now pinning two of the most successful and iconic TV news shows in broadcast history,” Holt said. “A 20-year-old police radio reporter beat me through broken news around San Francisco, so I couldn’t have imagined my career path would unfold as it had. What a great ride.”
Holt made his final remarks and expressed his gratitude to his dedicated audience on May 30th. “For the past decade we have shared a dark and miserable day and night in our country.” After that, Holt wanted his successor, Tom Lamas, to be “a great success.”
“Oh, my goodness, it’s quite a ride. Thank you guys,” he said at the end of the highlights at the end of the montage surrounded by his 42-year-old wife, Carol Hagen and his colleagues.
Joy Reid, “Reidout”
In February 2025, MSNBC announced numerous changes to its lineup, including cancellation of Joyreid’s show “The Reidout.” Reid, who had hosted shows on the network for over a decade, has also left MSNBC.
The network said Reid’s 7pm time slot will be replaced by a show set for Symone Sanders-Townsend, Michael Steele and Alicia Menendez after being filled with a series of rotating anchors.
She is currently hosting “Joy Reid Show” which is available on YouTube.
NBC News, Chuck Todd
Chief political analyst and former “Meet the Press” moderator Chuck Todd announced he would be leaving NBC News in January 2025.
“There’s never been a best time to leave a place that’s been a professional home for a long time, but I’m pretty excited about some new projects in the cusp of going from ’empty pie’ to ‘near real life’,” he said in a note to staff. “So I’m grateful for the opportunity to start my jump in the next chapter at this important moment.”
He went on to say, “I feel worried about this moment in history, but feel at ease with the standards that others at NBC worked so hard to set.”
He currently hosts the “The Chuck Toddcast” podcast and the weekly interview show “Sunday Night With Chuck Todd” on the Noosphere platform.
Jim Acosta, CNN
CNN domestic correspondent Jim Acosta announced the exit from the currently airing network in January 2025. He told viewers, “After carefully considering all of this and considering the alternative time slots that CNN offers me, I decided to move on.”
Acosta, who has been with CNN since 2007 and is known as a critic of President Donald Trump, said in a farewell message, “It’s never a good time to bow to a tyrant.”
He is currently hosting “The Jim Acosta Show.”
Nora O’Donnell, “CBS Evening News”
Nora O’Donnell signed off in January 2025 as an anchor for “CBS Evening News.” She previously announced that she would leave her role after the presidential election, despite being a contributor to CBS.
“I spent 12 years in the anchor chair here at CBS News, leading to the harshness of daily broadcasts and the ruthless news cycle,” she said in July 2024.
“This presidential election is my seventh as a journalist, and for many of us in this business, we tend to see our careers in terms of events at these milestones.”
Hoda Kotb, “Today” Show
Hoda Kotb officially left the “Today” show in January after announcing the exit in September 2024.
Kotb said he turned 60 in 2024 and realized that he “turning the page” and “try something new.” Kotb has been co-anchor for “Today” with Savannah Guthrie since 2018 after Matt Lauer was fired for allegations of sexual misconduct. She has also hosted the fourth hour of the show since 2007.
Kotb was replaced by Craig Melvin’s “Today” show. On the 4-hour block, Jenna Bush Hager leads the program on the spin list of co-hosts
Neil Kabuto, Fox News
Neil Kabuto announced in December that he would leave Fox News almost 30 years later. Kabuto, who has been on the network since its release in 1996, fixed “Your World” at 4pm on weekdays.
Alisyn Camerota, CNN
CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota announced the exit from the network in December 2024. She joined CNN in 2014 and previously anchored the “New Day” morning show.
In the final broadcast, Camerata said “It was an honor to be in your home through some of the biggest stories of our life of the last decade,” adding, “I always touch on it when I told viewers got up and helped me get through these challenging times.”
Chris Wallace, CNN
A few days after the 2024 presidential election, Chris Wallace confirmed he would be leaving CNN more than two years later. He joined the network almost 20 years later with Fox News. Wallace told the Daily Beast that he planned to move on to streaming or podcasting.
“We appreciate the dedication and wisdom he brings to all of his work at CNN and hope he is the perfect future,” said Mark Thompson, CEO of CNN.
Andrea Mitchell, “Andrea Mitchell reports”
Andrea Mitchell announced in October 2024 that she would be closing the MSNBC show, The Andrea Mitchell Report, since 2008. She has been hosting since 2008.
“As we prepare to cover the new administration, Andrea’s expertise and reporting is more necessary than ever,” the NBC News leader said in a staff memo at the time. “Please join us for the continued work of work at NBC News, who has congratulated Andrea for 16 years at MSNBC’s anchor desk and is preparing to cover this historic election.”
Jorge Ramos, News Univision
In September 2024, “Noticiero Univision” co-host Jorge Ramos announced the exit from Univision 40 years later. He continued to pinned “Noticiero Univision” until December.
“I am deeply grateful for these 40 years at Univision and am extremely proud to be part of a team that has established strong leadership over the years,” he said. Prior to his final broadcast, Ramos posted to X, “It was quite a ride. I’m very grateful.”
As an independent journalist, Ramos has launched his YouTube channel, “I see things.”
Contributions: Jay Stahl, Taiwan Muolman, Kimi Robinson, USA Today
