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Former NBC anchor Leon Harris has broken his silence months after worrying viewers during an evening broadcast.
Harris, who worked for NBC4 Washington doing the network’s nightly broadcast at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., sparked concern among viewers after he appeared to stumble over his words during the November 28 evening telecast. He was seen struggling to speak fluently in clips posted to social media.
It was later announced that Harris, 63, would be stepping back from his role to focus on his health.
Now, he’s told former CNN co-anchor Daryn Kagan about the “couple glasses of wine” he had that night. Speaking to Kagan on her Call Me Friend podcast, Harris revealed his struggle with alcoholism and how he wound up going to rehab after the November incident.
“I ended up drinking between shows, and I went on the air,” Harris said of the incident that led to him being “pulled off air.”
“I was more affected than I thought I was. Even at the time, I felt like I was perfectly fine.
“People were calling. They were thinking that I was having a stroke,” he continued. “It was the most embarrassing thing that has ever, ever happened to me.
“I’ll never be able to live down or get away from it.”
Viewers were concerned by Harris’s appearance as he struggled through the segment on a water main break that occurred in the D.C. area, as well as the recent arrest of four suspects accused of vandalizing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee building.
“NBC check on Leon Harris!” voice actor Lee Sanders viewer wrote alongside a video shared on X.
Another concerned viewer commented: “What’s going on Newschannel 4 6 PM news cast. The anchor is having a rough time delivering the news. I hope he is okay?”
Harris, who joined NBC4 in 2017 after 21 years anchoring CNN in Atlanta, revealed that his boss forced him to Uber home from the news station that night.
Speaking to Kagan and reflecting on “the status and the responsibilities” of working in the media, Harris acknowledged that the pressures of the role may have contributed to his decision to drink. He also said his “body has changed and I can’t drink anymore. And I didn’t realize it.”
Shortly after the November incident, the network released a statement acknowledging Harris would be taking time away. Harris had previously been removed from NBC4 anchoring duties in 2022 after he was arrested and sentenced to 10 days in jail for crashing while driving under the influence of alcohol, but was later reinstated.
This time, his departure was made permanent. Following a four-month leave of absence from his role, Harris announced April 8 that he was leaving the network.
“After 40+ years of nonstop work and the dramatic changes in the news and television industry, I've made the difficult decision to step away from my role at NBC4,” he said in a statement. “I’m grateful to NBC4 for having me as part of their team for the last eight years.”
“This is the right time to prioritize my health and family,” he added.
English (US) ·