TVNZ has announced the new face of its flagship 6pm news bulletin.

Melissa Stokes will move from her weekend presenting role to anchor the broadcaster’s main bulletin on weekdays.

She replaces Simon Dallow, who has confirmed his plans to step down at the end of the month after nearly two decades as TVNZ’s lead news anchor.

TVNZ Chief Executive Jodi O’Donnell said Dallow had been an “exceptional journalist and presenter”.

“His departure marks the end of an era for 1News at Six, and we are deeply grateful for his years of service.”

Dallow, 61, joined the state broadcaster in 1993 after earlier working as a barrister. Across his tenure at TVNZ he has worked on on Newsnight, various 1News bulletins as well as fronting Agenda and Q+A before beginning to host the 6pm bulletin in 2006. He will step down on November 28.

Melissa Stokes has been presenting 1News at Six on weekends since 2019. Photo / 1News

Stokes’ career at TVNZ covers two decades, beginning as a reporter on morning news programme Breakfast in 2001. She has gone on to fill a number of reporting roles with the channel.

From 2006 to 2008, Stokes was 1 News’ Europe Correspondent based in London, covering stories such as the conflicts in Israel and Syria. In 2019 Stokes replaced Peter Williams as the 1News at 6pm weekend newsreader.

In 2022 Stokes travelled to the United Kingdom to cover and present TVNZ’s rolling coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

O’Donnell said Stokes was Dallow’s “natural successor”.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have someone of Melissa’s calibre appointed as our lead presenter for 1News at Six.

“She’s done an exceptional job fronting weekends and this experience, alongside the strong leadership role she plays in our newsroom, makes her a natural successor.

“Her enduring relationship with our audience will help guide them through this transition for our biggest show” O’Donnell said.