WRGB Albany TV anchor, Heather Kovar reveals real reason for Slurring live on-air before being suspended

TV anchor and presenter for WRBG-Albany, Heather Kovar, was suspended after she was disheveled on-air during the live Saturday evening presentation on July 9. Following the mishap, the television news agency released a statement that Kovar had been suspended until the internal investigation is complete.

However, the news presenter has now revealed the true reason for her slurring on-air, and it is a heartbreaking one. Per her statement to The Sun, Kovar informed that she was returning to work early after her father, Willie Kovar, passed away. She claimed that she was exhausted and sleep-deprived, which caused her to appear edgy, tensed, and incoherent, fumbling on more than one occasion.

The anchor tried to discuss multiple news of the day, including the natural gas plant explosion in Oklahoma and the climate of the state. However, she continues slurring, even introducing meteorologist Craig Gold as Craig Adams, and when she realized the mistake, she strangely said that Craig Gold was also doing a double shift like herself. Eventually, she was cut off halfway through the broadcast in the middle of a sentence.


Following the incident, the news agency called upon Greg Floyd, WRGB-Albany’s weekday evening anchor, to substitute Kovar for Saturday’s 11 p.m. presentation. Floyd also was the substitute for the Sunday evening slot, which was also scheduled to be presented by Kovar.

Kovar told the media that she has decided not to renew her contract with WRBG-Albany, which expires on July 31, 2022. She said,

“On Friday, I notified the station I would not be renewing my contract which expires July 31. Saturday I was scheduled to work the early morning 6 a.m. shift and the evening shift. I was sleep-deprived and exhausted.”

Kovar’s dad, Willie, was a law enforcement officer in Texas, where he served for about 40 years. He worked with the Houston PD, the Caldwell PD, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Burleson County Sheriff’s Office. Willie Kovar died on May 13, 2022, at the age of 85.