Brian Williams, a longtime news anchor for MSNBC’s NBC Nightly News and The 11th Hour, announced he would be leaving MSNBC on his own accord to spend time with loved ones, according to Deadline and Variety. Williams has been with MSNBC for 28 years and will be a free agent for the first time in decades. He was one of the lead news anchors on Nightly News from 2004-2015 when Williams was suspended for six months without pay for telling false stories of his time covering the Iraq War in 2003. Williams fabricated a story on Late Show With David Letterman in 2013 that a grenade hit a helicopter he was on during his time in Iraq, which later was proved to be false. Williams was even one of the subjects of Charlie Sheen’s infamous Twitter rants (remember when that was a thing?). After suspension, Williams was moved to The 11th Hour in 2016 in time to cover the presidential election. In president of MSNBC Rashida Jones’s memo, she reminisces on Williams by stating that, “Brian’s time at NBC has been marked by breaking countless major stories, attracting leading journalists and guests to his programs, and most especially, great resiliency. He has built a fiercely loyal following for The 11th Hour, and we and our viewers will miss his penetrating questions and thoughtful commentary.” Williams has not announced any plans following his departure.
