NBC4 Washington anchor Leon Harris struggled to get his lines across during the network’s Thanksgiving night broadcast; This led to concerns that he was having a medical crisis or was under the influence.

The 63-year-old broadcast journalist, who joined NBC4 in Washington, D.C., in 2017 after more than 20 years as an anchor at CNN, stumbled over her words and spoke incoherently on the evening news, as seen in a photo. The clip was published on X.

Harris was reporting a water main break near Washington, D.C., and the arrest of four people in connection with the destruction of the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee building.

Viewers took to social media with concerns that the news anchor was experiencing a medical emergency. Some social media users even claimed that the condition of Harris, who was sentenced to prison in 2022 after driving drunk, crashing into a car and trying to flee the scene, had worsened again.

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NBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Following Harris’ shaky news delivery, the network moved to the weather segment during the 6 p.m. newscast, and no news came from the anchor desk for at least 20 minutes, according to journalists posting on X during the live broadcast.

NBC4 meteorologist Ryan Miller told viewers that the network has received “a lot” of concerns and calls from worried fans.

“We want to assure you that our colleague Leon Harris is okay,” Miller said.

Lee Sanders, a podcaster and voice actor, called on NBC to “control” Harris in a post on X.

“Check your man! “Pray that he never relapses or struggles with addiction because of his foot injury,” Sanders wrote Thursday night. “Pull him out and get help!”

Sanders said the newscast was cut after 35 minutes instead of the scheduled time.

Sports reporter Chris Williamson called the Thanksgiving newscast “tough to watch” and said he hoped Harris was OK.

Harris spent 10 days in prison in 2022 for crashing into another car while driving drunk and trying to flee the scene. Following his arrest, he was relieved of his duties as an anchor at NBC4 and reinstated months later.

In March 2022, NBC4 told its viewers He said it was “probably the stupidest decision I could have made” and that he was “very, very sorry for it and apologetic.”

During this broadcast, he said he was taking some time off to seek professional help.

counterpart at NBC4 Doreen Gentzler later interviewed her in July 2022 about his arrest.

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“Yes, if it were me, I would kill someone,” Harris said. “I was actually more disabled than I thought.”

Gentzler told Harris that many onlookers wondered why she tried to flee the scene after hitting another driver.

“It was alcohol and disease,” Harris said. “All I could think about was getting home.”

The news anchor said he does “three hours of therapy” every morning in his spare time to deal with his substance abuse issues.