Longtime Anchor Rene Knott Unexpectedly Left St. Louis KSDK After More Than 20 Years on Air
His last time KSDK was Oct. 14, 2025.
Published Oct. 16 2025, 10:05 a.m. ET
The KSDK anchor Rene Knott was suddenly absent from the TV news desk on Oct. 15, 2025, leading viewers and St. Louis residents to wonder what happened and if he is gone for good. He celebrated his 20th anniversary with the station in 2024, and at the time, it seemed like viewers were ready to have him on the news for 20 more.
Although Rene did not immediately respond to questions about what happened following his exit from KSDK, his supporters left heartfelt comments on his Instagram account. Most said that KSDK wouldn't be the same without him. Others wrote that they are eager to see what Rene does next. But many still have questions about what happened.
What happened to Rene Knott on KSDK?
Without warning, Rene was absent from the news, and the station made no announcement except that someone else would be filling in for him. Later, according to St. Louis Magazine, a staff meeting revealed that Rene is no longer with KSDK and will not be returning. Per the outlet, staff found out during their Wednesday morning meeting on Oct. 15 that Rene had left.
On Instagram, Rene shared a small update in his Stories. On a photo from someone who had appeared on KSDK and spoke to him, Rene wrote, "I loved telling St. Louis stories. I am blessed to have had the opportunity, and I pray I will have the chance again."
He didn't share further details about why he left or what happened, but Rene was quick to change his Instagram bio to say that he is now a "former" morning co-anchor at KSDK.
In January 2024, Rene celebrated 20 years with KSDK and shared during the news episode that aired on his anniversary that, up until that point, it had been a "wonderful ride" with the station. In a clip from the episode that was posted on YouTube, Rene's co-anchors agree that Rene was one of the most hardworking anchors on the show.
St. Louis residents have shared reactions to Rene's exit.
Since the comments to most posts on the official KSDK Instagram are limited, most of Rene's supporters left comments on his personal account to share their sadness about his sudden departure. In a Reddit thread about Rene's exit from KSDK, longtime viewers speculated on what happened. Some even said they might be less inclined to watch the news without Rene on it.
"KSDK definitely needs to provide some answers on this," one user commented on the thread. "Otherwise, it feels like just another reason to doubt KSDK's credibility and integrity."
Someone else wrote that, due to Rene leaving and other decisions made by the station, KSDK is "starting to look like more and more like bad leadership behind the scenes."
Rene did not give his supporters details on what happened to lead to his unexpected leave from the station. However, his Instagram Stories post about wanting to continue telling St. Louis stories shows there is hope that fans will see him again at some point.