Chuck Scarborough Signs Off After 50-Plus Years at NBC News

Chuck Scarborough, the enduring face of NBC 4 New York, is set to retire after over five decades at the anchor desk. His final newscast will air on Dec. 12, marking the end of a record-setting career as the longest-serving television news anchor in the New York market.

Scarborough, a Southampton homeowner, joined NBC 4 in 1974, anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts from Studio 6B at Rockefeller Center. “There is only one word: gratitude,” he said. “Our WNBC viewers welcomed me into their homes for more than 50 years.”

During his tenure, Scarborough covered major events, from breaking international news to local crises. His coverage of Superstorm Sandy earned him a National Emmy, while his COVID-19 reporting garnered a prestigious duPont-Columbia Award.

Eric Lerner, NBC 4’s President, praised Scarborough as “the gold standard in American broadcast journalism.”

Though stepping back from daily anchoring, Scarborough will continue contributing to special projects.

“You only live going forward,” he reflected. With 36 local Emmy Awards and countless accolades, Scarborough’s legacy is unmatched. His career was celebrated earlier this year with the ceremonial lighting of the Empire State Building, alongside tributes on TODAY and The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Though Scarborough resides in Connecticut with his wife, Ellen Ward Scarborough, he has spent the last 30-plus years retreating to the East End of Long Island — spending much of their time at their home on Lake Agawam in Southampton Village, where they have hosted charity events, such as the Gimme Shelter Animal Rescue summer gala.

Scarborough and his wife have been supporters of numerous local charities and events in the Hamptons.