Ex-NBC Anchor Speaks Out About Viral Broadcast That Shocked Viewers

Nearly six months after Leon Harris went viral for stumbling through a live Thanksgiving Day broadcast on NBC4 Washington, the former news anchor is revealing what led to his concerning on-air flub.

He appeared on the Wednesday, May 14, episode of Daryn Kagan’s Call Me Friend podcast and opened up about his struggles with alcoholism. Harris said he had a “couple glasses of wine” before the Thanksgiving broadcast.

“I was more affected than I thought I was. Even at the time, I felt like I was perfectly fine,” he explained, adding that he had alcohol issues in the past, which made it so that he couldn’t drink the same way he used to.

Even before clips of Harris went viral on social media, viewers were calling in and expressing their concerns, he revealed. “They were thinking that I was having a stroke,” he continued. “It was the most embarrassing thing that has ever, ever happened to me.” Eventually, the network pulled him off the air mid-show.

Harris said he ended up going to rehab to get help for his “battle with alcoholism,” which he said affected him both professionally and “domestically,” although he did not expand on his personal life with wife Dawn Harris and their two adult children. The journalist was previously arrested for DUI in 2013 and 2022.

Four days after the Thanksgiving incident, News4 announced that Harris was “stepping away from the anchor desk to focus on health issues.” He took a four-month leave of absence before stepping down from his position permanently in April.

“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. I’m grateful to NBC4 for having me as part of their team for the last eight years,” he said at the time. “This is the right time to prioritize my health and family. A special thanks to my amazing colleagues, friends, and especially to our viewers who welcomed me into their homes. It’s been an honor. Thank you.”

The station added their own statement on Instagram: “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.”