Tonight at 5PM, longtime Philly Anchor Ukee Washington will sit in the big chair at KYW. 

Washington is finally stepping into the spotlight that seems to been prepared for him since he arrived at the CBS O&O as a sports anchor 29 years ago.

Having anchored the station’s morning newscasts for a number of years, Washington will now anchor the weekday 5, 6, and 11 p.m. newscasts on CBS3 and the 10 p.m. broadcast on CW Philly (channel 57).

“I got the news from our new general manager (Brien Kennedy) I’d say about a week and a half ago,” Washington said in a recent interview with The Philadelphia Tribune. “I wasn’t expecting it. I was still coming in doing my thing, and unfortunately, the news comes with the loss and departure of some dear friends and co-workers (Chris May, Beasley Reece and Kathy Orr have all been released). But I’ve always been a team player, and whatever is needed from our team, I’m game. I’ve been that way. It’s from my athletic background. When it comes to the betterment of our team, of our product, of our program, if that’s what’s requested of me, then I’m there. God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle, so I’m ready.”

Washington, who celebrated his 29th anniversary with the station on July 9, was honored that the new GM had the confidence to make him what is essentially the face and voice of CBS 3. “That makes me feel really, really good,” he said. “Either he’s done, maybe, some research — maybe talked to people, but that makes me feel very good, and makes the work that I’ve done in the past pay off.

“It inspires me to continue to do the right thing, and to gain the confidence and trust that is so needed in this industry and so needed in our community. I hope young people especially [will see] that I’m a kid from West Philadelphia and Dover, Del., that has worked, I think, very hard and loves what he does, and that it can happen to them too."

H/T Philly Trib