One of the most popular faces on television is undoubtedly Lester Holt. For those who do not know him for his work at NBC, you will have seen him as a presenter during the 2016 presidential debate.
He is one of America’s most popular newscasters and journalists, best known for NBC Nightly News. Here you will find everything you want to know about the award-winning presenter.
Lester Holt Biography (Age and Ethnicity)
He was born on March 8, 1959, in Marin County, California, as Lester Don Holt Jr. However, it was in Rancho Cordova where he grew up with his two other siblings.
Although ethnically American, his father is a black American, while his mother is of Jamaican, English, and Native American descent.
As he grew up, his biggest dream was to become a DJ until he learned journalism and began the romance that would last for many years to come.
After graduating from Cordova High School, where he received his early education, he went to California State University to study Journalism and Government. However, he did not finish his studies because he dropped out to the disappointment of his parents.
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Interestingly, he left school to pursue a full career with a San Francisco radio station, the KCBS, when he was still in junior year. Before he quit, he also worked as a disk jockey at a small radio station controlled by the school and at another station called Krak.
Less than 2 years later, his career got off to a better start when he got the opportunity to work at CBS. He was only 19 years old at the time. His next destination after almost 20 years at CBS was KNXT in Los Angeles. This was only to last for one year, as he soon found his way to NBC, where he was assigned some important tasks that went beyond mere moderation. He took over the role of the presenter of NBC Nightly News after Brian Williams left the program.
Lester Holt, who is also the host of Dateline NBC and News for NBC, has taken on some very important roles, including hosting the first presidential debate in 2016 between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. He also conducted an interview with Mr. Trump after he became President.
Lester has had short appearances in a number of films including The Fugitive (1993), U.S. Marshals (1998), and Primal Fear (1996). He has also appeared in a number of television programs.
Throughout his career, the NBC Nightly News host has won a number of awards, including the National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalist of the Year Award and the Alan B. DuMont Broadcaster of the Year, both of which he received in 2016. He has also received honorary doctorates from California State University, Sacramento in 2015, and Pepperdine University in 2012. Lester Holt was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2015.
His Family – Parents, Wife, and Son
His father, Lester Holt Sr. had a career in the Air Force and when he finished he also attended the same university as his son but he graduated. There is not much information about his mother, June DeRozario.
The NBC anchor is married to a real estate agent, Carol Hagen, now known as Carol Holt. The two have been married since 1982 and the family is blessed with two children, Cameron Holt, and Stefan Holt.
His son, Stefan Holt, is a news anchor. After graduating from Pepperdine University, where he studied political science and radio journalism, he decided to become a radio announcer like his father and now also works for NBC. Another thing that is very interesting about Stefan Holt is that he is a licensed private pilot who ironically has a fear of heights.
Stefan is married and his first child was born in 2017, making Carol Holt and Lester grandparents.
His second son, Cameron Holt, is a Stanford University graduate and works as a financial analyst for a firm, Morgan Stanley in New York.
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Lester Holt Salary and Net Worth
After many years of hard work, Lester Holt now has a net worth estimated at $12 million. His wealth has been generated through his work as a broadcaster, earning him a salary of $4.5 million per year.
Height – How Tall Is He?
Holt is a fairly tall man with an athletic build and charm and charisma. Slightly above the average for most Joes, Lester is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighs 71 kg.
