Ritter's Alzheimer's Diagnosis
NYC News Anchor Bill Ritter Steps Down From Desk After Early-Stage Alzheimer's Diagnosis
Key Points
Ritter said his diagnosis was delivered after a series of tests, adding: “It’s ‘early stage’ Alzheimer’s, and they say the treatments I’m getting are keeping it at bay. For now. But there is no guarantee… there’s no cure yet… So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor.”
WABC-TV general manager Marilu Galvez said Ritter “has done so with exceptional insight, integrity, and, most of all - heart,” praising him as “a defining presence at ABC7,” and added that while he is stepping away from daily anchoring, he “will continue to be an integral part of our ABC7” team.
Multiple reports noted Ritter had already stepped away from the 11 p.m. broadcast in March 2025 after about 25 years on that late-night anchor desk, before making this new on-air announcement about leaving the anchor desk due to Alzheimer’s.
Ritter’s anchoring timeline includes taking over the 11 p.m. Eyewitness News edition in October 1999 (succeeding Bill Beutel) and later adding the 6 p.m. newscast in February 2001; he currently anchors the 6 p.m. broadcast alongside Liz Cho.
Bill Ritter, who has anchored New York City's evening news for nearly 27 years, signed off from the WABC anchor desk on Friday after revealing he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. NY Daily News reported that Ritter, 76, made the announcement live during the 6 p.m. broadcast — the same newscast he has helmed since February 2001.
"The treatments I'm getting are keeping it at bay. For now," Ritter told viewers, according to Yahoo News. "But there is no guarantee… there's no cure yet… So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor." He is a 7-time Emmy winner with 34 years at ABC News.
A Career That Defined New York Evening News
Ritter joined WABC-TV in 1998 and took over the 11 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcast in October 1999, succeeding the legendary Bill Beutel. He added the 6 p.m. newscast in February 2001. His co-anchor partnership with Liz Cho, which began in 2003, became one of the longest-running anchor pairings in New York television history, according to Deadline.
His exit was not sudden. Ritter stepped away from the 11 p.m. broadcast in March 2025 after more than 25 years in that chair, and then left the 5 p.m. slot in June 2025. Friday's announcement was the final step in a phased departure that had been quietly underway for more than a year, NJ.com reported.
Alzheimer's Hits Close to Home for Ritter
Ritter's diagnosis carries deep personal weight. His father died of a form of Alzheimer's-related disease in 1998 — the same year Ritter joined WABC. Ritter has said he felt his father "on my shoulder" throughout his career, especially during his work with New York City's Alzheimer's Walk, according to Yahoo News.
He noted that current treatments can slow the disease but cannot stop it. No cure exists. That reality drove his decision to leave the high-pressure anchor desk while he is still in the early stage of the illness, before symptoms worsen.
WABC Promises Ritter a New Role in Alzheimer's Reporting
Ritter is not leaving WABC entirely. Station general manager Marilu Galvez said he "will continue to be an integral part of our ABC7 team." She praised him as "a defining presence" who led with "exceptional insight, integrity, and, most of all — heart," according to AOL News.
Ritter plans to keep reporting as often as he can. His focus will be on the rising impact of Alzheimer's — specifically how the cost of long-term dementia care is crushing families across the country. He is expected to investigate gaps in U.S. healthcare for aging patients, NY Daily News reported.
WABC Now Faces a Major Gap at 6 p.m.
With Ritter gone, WABC has a big hole in its top-rated 6 p.m. newscast. Liz Cho remains at the desk, but a permanent co-anchor has not yet been named. Mike Marza, who took over Ritter's 11 p.m. and 5 p.m. slots in 2025, is a likely candidate, though WABC has made no official announcement, according to Deadline.
David Muir of ABC World News Tonight offered a national tribute to Ritter's career and called his announcement "courageous." Colleagues Sade Baderinwa and Lee Goldberg also praised him publicly, calling him the "pulse" of the tri-state area. Viewer reaction on social media was swift, with many saying they grew up watching Ritter as a nightly constant in their homes.
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