Peter Alexander announced on air March 28 that he is leaving NBC News after 22 years, stepping down from his role on Saturday TODAY to spend more time with his family and “challenge himself with something new.” The move closes a long chapter for a senior correspondent known for White House reporting and international assignments.

What happened, and why it matters

Alexander, 49, told viewers he has been traveling frequently between Washington, D.C., where his family lives, and NBC’s Studio 1A in New York. “I’ve been away from home more than 80 nights in the last seven months. More than 200 Friday nights away from my family in the last seven years,” he said on the March 28 broadcast. He framed his departure as a chance to find a healthier balance before his daughters grow older.

Who, where and when

Peter Alexander joined NBC News in 2004 and has been a visible presence across the network for more than two decades. He transitioned to cohosting Saturday TODAY in October 2018 and in 2021 was named co-chief White House correspondent alongside Kristen Welker. Alexander announced his departure during the weekend broadcast on March 28, 2026.

Career highlights and context

Alexander called his 22 years at NBC “undoubtedly the most exciting years” of his journalism career and said he was “bursting with pride and with gratitude.” He has reported from Baghdad, Banda Aceh and Beijing, covered Iraq’s 2005 election and reported on the death of Osama bin Laden. He has credited an early interview with Fidel Castro as a major break.

He marked his 20th anniversary at NBC in August 2024, reflecting then that he had been part of the network longer than he’d had his own family. “Studio 1A… this is literally my happy place,” he said in his farewell remarks.

Colleagues and reaction

Cohost Laura Jarrett, who joined NBC in January 2023, was emotional on air. “Peter: We love you, we are going to miss you,” she said. She added, “You are a brilliant journalist. You are a good and decent man, and you are an extraordinary father. You only get one shot to be Ava and Emma’s dad…they are lucky to have you as their father.”

Alexander’s decision underscores a common media-industry tension: the demands of national TV reporting vs. family life. He told viewers he wanted to “carve out a better balance between my personal and professional lives” and to “challenge myself with something new.”

What’s next

Alexander did not outline a specific next role during his announcement. He emphasized family priorities — he and his wife Alison Starling are raising daughters Ava, 12, and Emma, 10, in Washington — and signaled openness to future challenges outside his current post.

For viewers, the change ends a familiar on-air presence and could prompt programming shifts for Saturday TODAY. NBC has not detailed any immediate plans or a timeline for Alexander’s final appearances; Alexander’s statement focused on gratitude, family and a desire for new professional directions.