The meteorologist works alongside Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Craig Melvin

Dylan Dreyer in the Today Show studios

Dylan Dreyer praised one of her former Today co-hosts on Monday when she shared a heartfelt message with fans.

The star opened up during an emotional day when the NBC team faced some unexpected news.

Taking to Instagram, Dylan posted a photo of herself with members of her former Weekend Today team which included Lester Holt.

The longtime anchor announced on Tuesday that he was standing down from NBC Nightly News after a decade at its helm.

Dylan was one of many of Lester’s colleagues who thanked him for being a supporting role model and co-star.

Alongside the images from her time working with Lester, she wrote: “You’d think the most nerve-wracking day of my career was my first day on air at Weekend Today. But @lesterholtnbc made me feel so comfortable from day 1.

5 biggest NBC controversies

Jay Leno hosts "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" © Kevin Winter

1.  Matt Lauer allegations

Matt Lauer, one of NBC’s biggest stars for over 20 years, as the host of the Today was fired in November 2017 due to sexual misconduct allegations. Multiple allegations resurfaced, but NBC claimed to be unaware of Matt’s behaviour. However, these claims were disputed by individuals who had worked with Matt, creating a major controversy.

2. The Hollywood tape

Just before the 2016 U.S. presidential election, The Washington Post released a 2005 taped conversation between Billy Bush and Donald Trump, in which Trump made offensive comments about women, while Billy laughed in the background. Two days after the tape’s release, NBC suspended Billy from his co-hosting role and he was eventually fired.

3.  The Biggest Loser

The Biggest Loser, a 2004 reality show where contestants competed to lose the most weight for a cash prize, became an NBC hit. However,  a 2016 study showed that most participants regained the weight they lost, leading to criticism of the show’s approach to wellness. The series was canceled in the same year.

4. The Tonight Show conflict

The 2010 conflict over who would host The Tonight Show became a major PR issue. Jay Leno, who hosted the show since 1992, was given his own primetime slot in 2009, leading to Conan O’Brien becoming the new host. However, when ratings fell, NBC reportedly paid Conan and his team $45 million to step down so Jay could reclaim the show.

5. Brian Williams’s fake story

In 2015, NBC nightly news anchor Brian Williams claimed he was aboard a helicopter that was downed by enemy fire in the Iraq War. His story was disputed by several military veterans who were present, leading Brian to apologise on air, saying the incident was a “fog of memory.” He was later dismissed from the role.

“It has been a true honor to work and grow along side him from then, to hurricane coverage, to @nbcnightlynews, to fun experiments on @nightlykids A true professional, an incredible interviewer and anchor, a friend. Congratulations on this next phase of your inspirational career Lester!!”

Lester Holt© NBC
Lester is leaving NBC Nightly News

Lester responded with a tongue-in-cheek comment that read: “Thanks Dylan. And all those years I thought I rattled you on that first day!”

He is moving to a full-time role on Dateline which he has anchored since 2011. In a statement to his team, Lester clarified that he would remain with them until the summer.

Dylan Dreyer © GC Images
Dylan worked with Lester for years on Weekend Today

“After 10 years, 17 if you include my years on the weekends, the time has come for me to step away from my role as anchor of Nightly News,” the memo read. “It has truly been the honor of a lifetime to work with each of you every day, keeping journalism as our true north and our viewers at the center of everything we do.”

“But before we play the walk off music, I have another announcement. I’m excited to report I will be continuing as anchor of Dateline NBC, but for the first time in a full time capacity whereby I will be expanding my footprint on the broadcast and crafting Dateline hours on subjects I care deeply about.

Portrait of Lester Holt. Lester Holt is a journalist and news anchor for the weekday edition of NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC. Photographed in his office, 2019© Getty
Lester will now focus on Dateline full time

“I am thrilled to be able to work more closely with my enormously talented friends at Dateline as the broadcast continues to grow and attract new viewers in new places.”

Dylan joined Today as the meteorologist of Weekend Today in 2012 and continued to work with Lester in the years after his departure in 2015.