NON-HUNK HOLT IN CROSSHAIRS OF NBC SHAKE-UP
Lesser Lester ratings spell trouble
NETWORK bosses plan to boot Lester Holt from “NBC Nightly News,” according to insiders, and replace him with a young hunk in a bid to boost ratings!
With debonair David Muir of ABC’s “World News Tonight” recently marking his fourth consecutive year as the most watched evening news anchor, 61-year-old Lester isn’t cutting it anymore, sources said.
“Few people have the integrity and journalistic pedigree of Lester,” said an insider. “But in today’s environment — where everything is driven by numbers and figures rather than gravitas — the big bosses want to try something new. “NBC honchos have been told they need to switch things up and find someone who can slay ABC in the ratings.” “World News Tonight” regularly wins 9 million viewers — a million more than Lester at NBC.
Determined to beat 47-yearold David and ABC in the ratings race, NBC bosses have recruited his understudy — Tom Llamas. Sources claimed Tom, 41, has been poached from ABC and promised Lester’s slot to go head-tohead with his former boss. Tom has substituted for David since 2014 and has also been the “World News Tonight” weekend anchor. “Tom is heading to NBC to take over for Lester. Tom is what the future of TV news looks like,” added an insider. “He’s charming, has a great presenting style and he’s cute.
“David handpicked Tom to host the weekend edition of ‘World News Tonight,’ but Tom knows David won’t leave his anchor seat anytime soon, so this was a way to take his career to the next level.” Sources speculated Lester may step into a producer position after the shake-up and manage the news show from behind the scenes.
“The TV business is rough. It’s a visual
medium, and Lester
with Tom, who is younger and has great viewer appeal,” said another insider.
“But NBC executives love Lester and they’ll always owe him for taking over the show five years ago when Brian Williams was fired in disgrace. “They would never let someone of his caliber go, so most expect him to assume a new executive role.”