NBC Washington anchor Leon Harris is leaving his post to prioritize his health four months after a live broadcast that raised concerns among viewers.
The longtime anchor for NBC affiliate WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., announced his departure in a statement the network released on April 8, following a four-month leave he says was used to focus on his health and family.
“Many of you have kindly asked about me over the past few months,” Harris said in a statement shared on Instagram. “As you know, I took time off to focus on my health and family.”
As he did during his leave of absence, Harris expressed that he plans to use his time away to focus on his health journey and family. His departure marks the end of a four-decade career in journalism, including eight years with NBC4.
”After 40+ years of nonstop work and the dramatic changes in the news and television industry, I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my role at NBC4,” Harris shared in the statement. “I’m grateful to NBC4 for having me as part of their team for the last eight years.”
“This is the right time to prioritize my health and family,” he added. “A special thanks to my amazing colleagues, friends, and especially to our viewers who welcomed me into their homes. It’s been an honor. Thank you.”
The departure comes after a Nov. 28 broadcast in which Harris appeared to slur his words and stumble while reading from a teleprompter. A clip shared on X raised concern, with one user urging the station to check on him. Four days later, WRC addressed the incident, stating Harris had shown signs of illness during the newscast and would be “stepping away from the anchor desk to focus on health issues.”
The network added to Harris’ departure announcement with a personal statement thanking the media veteran for his work over the years and sending him warm wishes on his journey.
“We are grateful for Leon’s eight years of service to our newsroom,” the statement said. “We thank him for his commitment to our community, dedication to journalism, hard work, and friendship. He will be missed, and we wish him nothing but the best.”
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