Brian Williams turned down offer to anchor ‘CBS Evening News’: report

Veteran anchor and reporter Brian Williams recently turned down an offer to anchor “CBS Evening News,” according to a new report. 

CBS News President Neeraj Khemlani offered Williams — who announced late last year he would leave NBC after nearly three decades with the company — the anchor chair, CNN reported, noting that Khemlani tried at least twice to recruit Williams. 

The news comes amid a flurry of rumors and speculation about the future of “CBS Evening News” and its current anchor, Norah O’Donnell. The New York Post reported in October that O’Donnell, whose contract is up soon, could be in danger of being replaced.

When asked during an interview with Deadline about O’Donnell’s future with CBS, Khemlani said, “We have no current plans to change what we are doing. We’re leaning into our strength.”

When Williams announced his departure from NBC, he suggested he wasn’t done in the media industry. 

“This is the end of a chapter and the beginning of another,” he said. “There are many things I want to do, and I’ll pop up again somewhere.”

“With all of our recent hires, Bob Costa joining, and today’s streaming launch, it’s no surprise people are wondering who’s coming to CBS News next,” an unnamed CBS executive told CNN. “But Brian Williams is not going to be doing the Evening News. End of story.”

Updated at 10:38 a.m.