Howls Of LAUGHTER Lester Holt’s Dog Name Leaves Fans In STITCHES As It Pays HOMAGE To An ICONIC Actress Known For Her WILD COMEDY
Lester Holt's Final NBC Nightly News Broadcast, May 30, 2025: Details

When Lester Holt gets home from a long day at work — or even from an international trip covering the Olympics, perhaps — he can always count on his labradoodle, Lucy, to brighten his day. The Dateline anchor’s pup has been part of the family for several years now and he said it was “love at first sight” when they first brought her home.

Holt revealed in a 2016 Instagram post that he and his wife, Carol Hagen, had gotten a puppy. “Spending last day of vacation bonding with our family’s new addition. Empty nesters no more. Welcome Lucy!” he captioned a photo of him and the tiny dog, adding the hashtag #LoveAtFirstSight.

Years after Lucy became a member of the Holt family, the NBC anchor revealed how they choose her cute and fitting name, and why she reminds them of a certain 1950s sitcom star.

 

Lester Holt named his labradoodle after an iconic actress and comedian

During a 2023 segment NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition, Holt revealed that the star of I Love Lucy served as the inspiration behind his dog’s name.

“How did we name Lucy? Well, there was a very popular comedian and actress back when I was growing up called Lucille Ball and she was famous for her red hair,” he shared, with his dog Lucy sitting right beside him. “When we met Lucy as a pup, her hair was very red. It’s kind of lightened up now as she’s gotten to be middle-aged.”

 

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Lucy’s hair may be lighter these days, but she’s certainly still keeping Holt entertained. The former NBC Nightly News anchor revealed that his “morning routine” with Lucy includes a couple high-fives and a fist bump. They’ve also dressed her up as a hot dog for Halloween.

Lester Holt says Lucy is the “most loving” dog he’s ever had

In 2019, Holt introduced TODAY viewers to his pup Lucy for a segment called “My Pet Tale” and shared that she stands out as a sweetie pie.

“Of all the dogs I’ve had and I’ve had many, she’s the most loving, sweet dog I’ve ever had,” Holt said, sharing that he and his wife decided to take a break from having pets after their previous dogs had passed on. But one day, Holt spotted an Australian labradoodle at a cafe and decided he needed one. “We went on a hunt and we got her 8 weeks old. We got her actually just days before I moderated the first presidential debate [between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in 2016].”

Lester Holt posing with wife Carol Hagen at the 2016 Time 100 Gala.

Carol Hagen and Lester Holt attend the 2016 Time 100 Gala on April 26, 2016 in New York City. Photo: Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images

“She has definitely become a big part of our lives,” Holt added. “She constantly makes us laugh. She’s a little performer.”

Now that Holt is officially full-time at Dateline, he’ll likely get to spoil Lucy with even more quality time. “She does not like when I’m gone. When I come home from work, she puts on a celebration like you wouldn’t believe,” he laughed. “She always brings a smile to my face. It’s nice to be missed, it’s nice be loved like that.”