Aaron Gilchrist Returns to NBC4 Washington
The longtime anchor will rejoin the weeknight desk alongside Eun Yang and Shawn Yancy.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Remote Work
Aaron Gilchrist announced his return to NBC4 Washington on Sunday, nearly six years after leaving the station in late 2020 to join NBC News. He said he will rejoin the weeknight anchor desk alongside Eun Yang and Shawn Yancy, though NBC4 has not announced an exact start date.
Why it matters
Gilchrist's return restores a familiar anchor to the Washington market as longtime NBC4 anchor Jim Handly prepares to retire. The move reflects the station reshaping its anchor lineup during a leadership transition.
Gilchrist spent 11 years at WWBT in Richmond, Virginia, before joining NBC4 in March 2010 as a weekend morning anchor. He has been away from the station for nearly six years, and no exact return date has been set.
The players
Aaron Gilchrist
A veteran local news anchor and graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University who previously anchored at NBC4 and NBC News NOW.
Jim Handly
The longtime NBC4 anchor who is preparing to retire from the station after decades in the Washington market.
NBC4 Washington
The NBC-owned television station serving the Washington, D.C. market, where Gilchrist is returning as a weeknight anchor.
The details
Gilchrist originally joined NBC4 in 2010 and moved to weekday mornings in 2012, where he worked alongside Eun Yang on News4 Today. During his first NBC4 run he covered the Washington Navy Yard mass shooting and reported from Orlando and Las Vegas after mass shootings in those cities.
Timeline
March 2010: Gilchrist joins NBC4 as a weekend morning anchor and general assignment reporter.
April 2012: Gilchrist moves to weekday mornings at NBC4.
Late 2020: Gilchrist leaves NBC4 to join NBC News.
November 1, 2026: Gilchrist announces his return to NBC4.
New year (2027): Gilchrist is expected to return to the weeknight anchor desk.
Market Landscape
Gilchrist's return to the weeknight desk with Eun Yang and Shawn Yancy rebuilds the anchor pairing NBC4 relied on during his earlier tenure. The move comes as the station prepares for Jim Handly's retirement and reshuffles its on-air leadership in the Washington market.
Viewers of NBC4's weeknight newscasts will see Gilchrist back at the anchor desk alongside Eun Yang and Shawn Yancy once he returns. The exact timing remains unannounced, so viewers should check NBC4's schedule for the start date.
The takeaway
Local news viewers who follow a familiar anchor can expect continuity as NBC4 reshapes its weeknight lineup. Watching the station's schedule will reveal when Gilchrist first returns to air.
What happens next
Gilchrist is expected to return to the weeknight anchor desk in the new year, though NBC4 has not announced an exact date.
Further reading
Explore more on Remote Work in the Washington area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The MoCo Show.
