Veteran news anchor Leon Harris is taking a break from NBC4 News following a concerning on-air incident that prompted an outpouring of viewer worry. The Washington, D.C. station announced Monday, Dec. 2, that Harris, 63, would be “stepping away from the anchor desk to focus on health issues” after appearing “unwell” during a recent broadcast. “We here at NBC4 — and you at home — care deeply about Leon and wish him well. We thank you for your concern,” the network stated.
The announcement follows Harris’s Thanksgiving broadcast on Nov. 28, during which viewers noticed the veteran journalist struggling with his delivery. While covering a story about vandalism at an American Israel public affairs committee in D.C., Harris appeared to have difficulty reading from the teleprompter, prompting numerous phone and email messages from concerned viewers. Several posts appeared on X, with one viewer noting that Harris seemed to struggle to read the script, while another described the segment as “hard to watch,” per People.
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NBC4 meteorologist Ryan Miller attempted to reassure audiences during the same broadcast, stating, “We want to assure you that our colleague Leon Harris is fine.” The station has not specified the nature of Harris’s health issues or provided a timeline for his return.
The Akron, Ohio native, who has been delivering evening news since joining NBC4 Washington in 2017, has faced previous health challenges. He took leave in September to recover from a home foot injury and, in 2013, battled necrotizing pancreatitis, which required intensive care treatment.
The anchor has also been candid about his struggles with alcohol, with DUI arrests in both 2013 and 2022. Following the January 2022 incident that resulted in a ten-day jail sentence and three years of supervised probation, Harris spoke openly about his alcoholism in an interview with News4’s Doreen Gentzler.
“I admitted in court today something that I have come to fully accept,” he said in a statement. “I made a terrible decision to drink and drive. That is something I am grateful to have survived and something for which I will have to pay a debt to society. I am looking forward to doing so, and being a better and healthier person, husband and father in the process. My alcoholism will not be the end of me, but my acknowledging it is going to be a new beginning for me.”
Known for his professionalism since beginning his D.C. career at WJLA-TV in 2003, Harris has earned widespread respect in metropolitan news. Following the station’s announcement, support poured in on social media, with former Washington Post editor Robert McCartney writing “Wishing Harris well” on X and NASA aviation expert Shawn Chittle adding, “Get better soon Leon Harris!” The veteran journalist has yet to personally address his recent broadcast or absence, and NBC4 News has not responded to media requests for more information about the incident.
