It's a big day for Tom Llamas over at NBC.
On Monday, June 2, the former ABCWorld News Tonight weekend anchor will be officially stepping up to the plate as Lester Holt's replacement for NBC's Nightly News.
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The start of his new gig comes two days after his predecessor gave his final broadcast for the network's flagship evening news program on Friday, May 30, ten years after he first became its anchor.
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Before the big night
Prior to making his big debut Monday night, Tom stopped by TODAY, where he has been a frequent contributor, to chat all about it.
Speaking with 3rd Hour hosts Dylan Dreyer and Al Roker, plus Peter Alexander, who was subbing in for Craig Melvin, Tom first shared what his "vision" of his "version" of Nightly News would be, maintaining they are not "going to drastically change the show."
"It's a beautiful show, viewers know what to expect, it's why millions tune in, they've been tuning in for decades. Lester has built a beautiful broadcast," he continued, noting that "little by little" he would "put his stamp" on it.
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What to expect
He did however reveal that his debut broadcast will feature the "launch" of a new franchise looking into the insurance industry, given the "tough time" people are having with it in recent years.
"I want to lean into some good news tonight," he went on, noting he hopes to "expand that franchise as well." He also added that they are "going to own breaking news."
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One big question
One thing Tom however is still having some doubts over is what his catchphrase or farewell message might be, following Lester's signature "Take care of yourselves and each other."
Noting it's a "big question" everyone has been asking, he confessed: "I think if something happens organically I will. I have been thinking about a few different phrases," and revealed: "My dad gave me one, he's like, 'Why don't you say at the end of the newscast, I'll see you at home mom.' And I'm like, 'Dad … that's not going to work.'"
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He went on: "I have something I've been working on and we'll see, if it feels right I'll do it, but I like to just thank the viewers … the most important thing is the 99% of it that takes to get to that point of the night."
Tom was announced as Lester's replacement in March. In a statement at the time, he shared: "Anchoring NBC Nightly News is a profound honor and one that carries tremendous responsibility. I look forward to working with the world class journalists at Nightly News and Top Story to bring viewers the most important stories every night," and praising his predecessor, he added: "Lester Holt is a great man and one of the most trusted broadcasters of our time. Just like Lester, I promise to be devoted to our viewers and dedicated to the truth."
