‘Daybreak’ anchor Marc Istook is leaving WFAA. Here’s when his last broadcast is
WFAA anchor Marc Istook is leaving the Dallas-based station next month after six-and-a-half years.
Istook, a 1998 TCU graduate, announced his departure in a lengthy social media post in mid-January. Many thanks to his “Daybreak” cohorts and to the WFAA viewers were shared in the post, including Istook saying that he’s “humbled to have been welcomed into your home, bright and early, day after day.”
His last day with WFAA is Feb. 20. He has not yet shared what’s next for him.
[Update: Here’s what Mark Istook said on his last broadcast Friday, Feb. 20 ]
“This experience has been a wish come true. As a kid, I dreamed of getting to work for WFAA and am eternally grateful for having had this opportunity,” Istook wrote.
Marc Istook to leave WFAA
A native Texan, Istook has been in the media business for more than 25 years.
Istook cites on his website that his first big “get” was for the Star-Telegram back in 1991, when he interviewed Billy Joel. Istook, who was 14 at the time, served as one of the newspaper’s “Class Act” correspondents and chatted with a then 41-year-old Joel about his life and career, according to the Star-Telegram archives.
“A lot of my friends ended up in jail,” Joel said. “I was kind of with a wild crowd. If it weren’t for music, I don’t know where I would have been. It (music) probably saved my life.”
After graduating from Fort Worth’s Southwest High School, Istook traveled a few miles north to TCU.
His career began behind-the-scenes at ESPN, where he produced graphics for various sports broadcasts. His first on-camera job came at KTEN, the NBC affiliate in Denison, as a weekend sportscaster and eventual evening news anchor.
In 2001, Istook ventured west to Los Angeles, where he lived for several years.
During his time in the Golden State, he worked for ABC, CNN, BBC, Yahoo, NFL Network, the Food Network, the SPEED Channel and the TV Guide Network. Istook also covered the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Golden Globes.
In 2019, Istook came back home to join WFAA.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the ‘Daybreak team,’” Istook said at the time. “I’ve dreamed of working on a dynamic, informative, energetic morning show for years and this show, in my hometown, is a perfect fit.”
‘Daybreak’ shakeup
When one door closes at WFAA, another door opens up.
On Feb. 23, Matt Howerton and Dia Wall will join the “Daybreak” team as full-time morning anchors. Before the new gig, Howerton served as a general assignment reporter and Wall worked as an anchor and reporter.
In addition, anchor Kara Sewell is going on maternity leave for about four months beginning in early February. The “Daybreak” team also recently hired Erica Lopez as its new traffic anchor.
This story was originally published January 29, 2026 at 4:08 PM.
