Legendary New York City TV anchor Chuck Scarborough announced Thursday that he will leave WNBC after a historic five-decade run.

The Emmy Award-winning newsman – a fixture in homes for 50 years, 32 of those with co-anchor Sue Simmons on the 11 p.m. broadcast – broke the news to viewers at the end of the 6 p.m. edition of NBC News 4 New York.

“Well, guys, tonight, finally, I’d like to break some, some personal news. The time has come to pass the torch,” Scarborough said, his usually steady voice breaking up.

“50 years, eight months and 17 days after I walked into the door here at the headquarters of the National Broadcasting Company. I will step away from this anchor desk.”

The 81-year-old anchorman, who has scaled back his duties to four days a week, said his last broadcast will be on Dec. 12.

“I’ll have more to say to you and to my extraordinary colleagues at NBC then. But for now, I’ll offer a simple, heartfelt thank you for allowing me into your living rooms and trusting us to bring you the news,” he concluded.

The longest serving anchor in New York’s history had informed his colleagues of his decision during a 3:15 pm meeting at the network’s headquarters earlier in the day, a source at the station told The Post, which first broke the story.

“Call it retirement with an asterisk,” the memo said.

He also praised his co-workers for their dedication.

“In this age of algorithms and cable channels herding the citizenry into like-minded silos, of A.I. and social media fictions suffocating truth, it has never been more important to do what you do so well: hew to the basic principles of accuracy, objectivity and fairness,” according to the memo.

No replacement has been named.

A Pittsburgh native and Air Force veteran, Scarborough began his TV career in Mississippi at WLOX-TV before moving on to WAGA-TV in Atlanta, then to WNAC-TV in Boston.

He joined WNBC-TV in March 1974 as a lead anchor for what was, at the time, the new 5 p.m. NewsCenter 4 broadcast.

Over the ensuing decades, his co-anchors have included Jim Hartz, Jack Cafferty, John Hambrick, Pat Harper, Dawn Fratangelo, Sibila Vargas, Lynda Baquero, Natalie Pasquarella and, most famously, Simmons.

Their 32 years together made them the longest-running anchor team in the history of New York City television news.

Scarborough covered major New York stories like the 1977 “Night of Terror” blackout, the September 11 terror attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The journalist has also led breaking news coverage locally and abroad, filing reports from Europe, Russia, the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico and South America.

Earlier this year, Scarbrough was feted for his astounding run at WNBC in true New York style. On March 25, the Empire State Building was lit up in blue and gold to honor his 50th anniversary at the station.

“It was an amazing run,” said an NBC source.