Veteran news anchor Leon Harris announced his departure from NBC4 Washington on Tuesday, several months after concerning viewers during a Thanksgiving broadcast that left him appearing “unwell,” according to a statement posted on the station’s website.
In his farewell message, the 63-year-old journalist, who had been with NBC4 since 2017, explained, “Many of you have kindly asked about me over the past few months. As you know, I took time off to focus on my health and family.”
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Harris cited his “40+ years of nonstop work” and “dramatic changes in the news and television industry” as factors in his “difficult decision to step away” from the anchor desk. “This is the right time to prioritize my health and family,” he said.
The announcement comes after Harris initially took leave in December “to focus on health issues” following a Nov. 28 segment that prompted an outpouring of viewer worry. While covering a vandalism story, Harris appeared to struggle reading the teleprompter, slurring words and stumbling over sentences.
Meteorologist Ryan Miller attempted to reassure audiences that evening, stating on-air, “We want to assure you that our colleague Leon Harris is fine.” The incident occurred just over a month after Harris returned from a September leave to recover from broken foot surgery.
NBC4 praised Harris’ contributions in their own statement Tuesday. “We are grateful for Leon’s eight years of service to our newsroom. 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.”
Harris, an Akron, Ohio native, has faced previous health challenges during his long career in the D.C. market, which began at ABC affiliate WJLA in 2003. In 2013, he battled life-threatening necrotizing pancreatitis, which he speculated could have stemmed from a “perfect storm” of family history, supplements, and alcohol use, per a Washington Post interview.
The anchor has also been open about struggles with alcoholism, including DUI arrests in 2013 and 2022. After pleading guilty to the latter incident, which resulted in a brief jail sentence and probation, Harris pledged that his “alcoholism will not be the end of me, but my acknowledging it is going to be a new beginning.”
Prior to his time in the capital, Harris spent over a decade as an award-winning anchor at CNN, covering major stories like the O.J. Simpson trial and the 9/11 attacks. His professionalism has earned him widespread respect, with support pouring in on social media following news of his exit.
While the nature of Harris’ recent health issues remains unspecified, NBC4 stated in December that both they and viewers “care deeply about Leon and wish him well.” The veteran journalist himself has yet to further address his on-air difficulties or future plans.
