Bill Ritter, a veteran WABC-TV/ABC7 “Eyewitness News” anchor in New York, is stepping away from the anchor desk after being diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s. Multiple outlets report that Ritter announced the diagnosis during a broadcast on Friday and said it would be his last at the desk. Sources describe his decision as tied to his health, with Ritter also outlining personal priorities such as spending time with his family.
Several reports say Ritter previously adjusted his work schedule, including stepping away from anchoring the 11 p.m. newscast earlier, and then later publicly revealed the reason for his departure. One outlet reports that Ritter had noticed early signs of the condition years before an official diagnosis, describing symptoms that left him unsure of what was happening despite making changes to his role.
Reporting also describes Ritter’s long tenure at WABC, commonly stated as spanning more than two decades, and notes that he anchored the station’s evening newscasts for many years. Ritter’s retirement is presented across sources as an end to a long-running on-air presence at the station due to Alzheimer’s.
