Who Is Tom Llamas? Meet The New ‘Nightly Information’ Anchor Changing Lester Holt

Tom Llamas has been formally named the following anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly Information, succeeding Lester Holt when he steps down this summer time. Learn on to be taught extra about Llamas, together with his background at NBC, his household life, and extra.

Holt introduced his departure from NBC Nightly Information in February, explaining that after 10 years as anchor—17 if together with his time on the weekend editions—it was time to “step away” from the function. “It has actually been the consideration of a lifetime to work with every of you day-after-day, preserving journalism as our true north and our viewers on the middle of every little thing we do,” he wrote in a observe to employees.

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Within the coming months, Llamas will tackle the long-lasting anchor function beforehand held by solely three others: Holt, Brian Williams, and Tom Brokaw. Along with changing into the youngest anchor of any community night information broadcast, he will even make historical past as the primary Latino to host the weekday version of NBC Nightly Information, in line with NBC Information.

Janelle Rodriguez, NBC Information’ govt vp of programming, praised Llamas in a press release on Wednesday, stating that he “has the successful mixture of journalistic excellence, passionate storytelling and unyielding integrity — all traits which have lengthy been logos of NBC Nightly Information.”

Right here’s every little thing to know concerning the upcoming Nightly Information anchor.

Who Is Tom Llamas?

Llamas, 45, is a broadcast journalist and the anchor of High Story with Tom Llamas on NBC Information Now. He resides in Westchester County, New York, along with his spouse, Jennifer, 43, and their three youngsters: daughters Malena, 11, and Juju, 8; and son Tomas, 7. Llamas’s dad and mom have been Cuban refugees who fled the nation throughout Fidel Castro’s regime.

“Cuban tradition an enormous a part of my life. I take heed to music from Cuba each single day. I communicate Spanish nearly each single day,” he wrote in a 2021 essay for TODAY in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. “Normally after I meet you, throughout the first jiffy I’ll inform you that I’m Cuban American. It’s one thing that I’m very happy with and it’s one thing that I used to be taught to be very happy with.”

Llamas was born and raised in Miami and later moved to New Orleans to attend Loyola College. There, he graduated in 2001 with levels in broadcast journalism, drama, and speech. At Loyola, he additionally met his spouse, Jennifer, a New Orleans native who has labored as a producer for MSNBC.

The information anchor informed The New York Occasions in 2024 that his religion performs a major function in his household. “My spouse and I are each Catholic, and our religion is an enormous a part of our life. We go to church at Resurrection in Rye and can attempt to hit the 8:30 a.m. Mass, but when we’re dragging slightly, there are a few different alternatives at 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m,” he mentioned. “When my youngsters aren’t in sports activities, we’re going to the 5 p.m. weekend Lots on Saturdays, that are good for households as a result of they’re slightly faster.”

“We’ll come again residence and come out to the yard for an hour of household playtime,” he continued. “My son has develop into obsessive about baseball, so we’re hitting a lot of balls, going over his swing. Typically the women come by and wish to hit balls, too, or Juju and Malena will play collectively on the trampoline.”

What Is Tom Llamas’ Expertise At NBC?

Llamas has greater than 25 years of expertise in broadcast journalism. He started his profession as an intern at Telemundo earlier than holding positions at NBC Information, WTVJ, and WNBC. He served because the weekend anchor of ABC World Information Tonight from September 2014 till his last broadcast on January 31, 2021. He returned to NBC later that 12 months.

Since rejoining NBC, Llamas has served because the community’s Senior Nationwide Correspondent and anchors High Story with Tom Llamas on NBC Information Now, which airs weeknights at 7 p.m. ET. He has additionally crammed in for Holt on NBC Nightly Information.

Llamas will proceed to anchor High Story whereas getting into his new function because the full-time anchor of NBC Nightly Information on weeknights. “Anchoring NBC Nightly Information is a profound honor and one which carries great duty,” he mentioned in a press release. “I stay up for working with the world-class journalists at Nightly Information and High Story to carry viewers an important tales each evening.”

He added that his predecessor “is a superb man and one of the trusted broadcasters of our time. Similar to Lester, I promise to be dedicated to our viewers and devoted to the reality.”

Llamas’ promotion comes after Web page Six reported that he and NBC Nightly Information Sunday anchor Hallie Jackson have been the frontrunners to guide the broadly watched night information program. “It’s def Tom,” an NBC insider informed the outlet on the time. “It’s principally a race between Tom and Hallie Jackson, however Tom is 99 %.”

When Is Tom Llamas’ First Day As Nightly Information Anchor?

Tom Llamas’ official begin date as NBC Nightly Information anchor has not but been introduced by NBC. Holt beforehand said that his last day might be someday within the early summer time. Keep tuned for additional updates.