> At a Glance
> – Tony Dokoupil says a hallway encounter with Katy Tur at 30 Rock in 2016 sparked instant chemistry
> – The couple eloped in Utah in 2017 after she asked him out first
> – Dokoupil now anchors CBS Evening News weeknights at 6:30 p.m. local time
> – Why it matters: The new anchor shares how a chance meeting reshaped his personal life and professional confidence
A fleeting moment in a 30 Rock corridor changed everything for Tony Dokoupil, who credits wife Katy Tur with turning him into “a believer in love at first sight” as he steps into his role anchoring CBS Evening News.
The Spark
Dokoupil recalls walking down a long hallway when Tur appeared. “Our eyes locked. It was totally unexpected,” he says. “I just lit up, and she lit up.”
Tur made the first move. “She was tired of waiting for me,” Dokoupil admits. He proposed in their New York City apartment, and the pair eloped in Utah in October 2017.
- Skipped a traditional wedding
- Funneled savings into a weekend getaway
- Married with only the two of them present
Early Interest
Weeks before the hallway moment, Tur spotted Dokoupil on a monitor in the makeup room during an Al Sharpton segment. “She thought, ‘Oh, I’m interested in that guy,'” he says, relieved the sound was off so she couldn’t judge his on-air performance.
An introduction followed, but Dokoupil was too focused on his TV nerves to notice her interest. “It didn’t occur to me until that night that maybe she introduced herself because something was sparking,” he says.
Family Life
The couple’s family grew quickly:
| Child | Birth Date | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Theodore “Teddy” | April 13, 2019 | 6 |
| Eloise Judy Bear | May 13, 2021 | 4 |
Dokoupil also has two older children-16 and 13-from a previous marriage; they live in Israel with their mother.
New Anchor Duties
Dokoupil joined CBS News in 2016 and co-hosted CBS Mornings starting in 2019. CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil launched Monday, Jan. 5.
His first week on air included:
- A Jan. 3 special on the U.S. strike in Venezuela
- A Jan. 5 on-air mix-up between Gov. Walz and Sen. Kelly
- A Jan. 6 emotional return to Miami for the “Live from America” tour
- A closing tribute to Marco Rubio that drew attention
Key Takeaways
- A hallway meeting at 30 Rock led to marriage and two young children
- Choosing to elope saved money for travel rather than a big wedding
- Dokoupil’s early TV nerves almost made him miss romantic signals
- His new evening anchor role began with emotional segments and minor stumbles
As he settles into the anchor chair, Dokoupil calls Tur “the luckiest thing that’s ever happened” to him and wishes the same unexpected spark for everyone else.
