NEW YORK — An NBC News reporter best known for his "Dateline NBC" reports featuring him confronting would-be child sex predators is leaving the network.

Chris Hansen stepped from the shadows in the long-running "To Catch a Predator" series to confront men lured to houses thinking they were about to meet minors they had contacted online for sex. NBC on Monday confirmed a TV Guide story saying Hansen is leaving after 20 years.

Hansen says through NBC he's looking forward to pursuing new opportunities on air and as a producer. He says new projects will be announced in the next few months.