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Craig Melvin Is All Smiles During His 1st Day as Hoda Kotb’s Replacement on ‘Today’ After Her Exit
Craig Melvin shined during his first day on the job as Hoda Kotb’s replacement on Today on Monday, January 13.
The NBC personality sat next to Savannah Guthrie at the news desk to welcome viewers to the program during the first episode since Hoda’s departure. The announcer announced their names, bringing a smile to Savannah’s face.
“Good morning, everybody, and welcome to Today on a very special Monday morning, and, you know, I don’t know if I really heard that and absorbed it. We have a tradition here at the Today show,” Savannah said before the announcer said Craig’s name again. “Yeah, we play it again.”
“That’s special,” Craig, 45, said, to which Savannah replied, “You’ve sat there so many times, but this morning is special and let’s go. This is going to be a beautiful ride.”
“And there’s no one I’d rather ride with than you. Let’s do this,” Craig told Savannah.
Craig was announced as Hoda’s replacement in the early morning hours of Today in November 2024.
“I am beyond excited and grateful,” he said of the promotion. “I’ve had a lot of conversations yesterday with a lot of people who mean a lot to me, and I just wanted to obviously thank NBC and the folks here who have deemed me worthy. I’ve enjoyed just a lifetime of blessings and this is the latest in a long line of blessings.”
The longtime anchor received a ton of support from fans and his coworkers after the announcement was made.
“The staff found out this morning, and people broke into applause,” Savannah, 53, revealed during the announcement. “This is one of the most popular decisions NBC has ever made.”
After 17 years, Hoda decided it was time to leave Today to focus on raising her two daughters, Haley and Hope. Craig had nothing but kind words for her after she made the announcement in September 2024 and he was announced as her successor.
“I want people to know, I didn’t have sisters, but you guys are the sisters that I never knew that I needed,” Craig told Savannah and Hoda. “To inherit this from you, you’ve been the heart of this place for a long time. You helped save this show.”
“And to be able to sit next to someone who I knew was smart for years and all of a sudden, you start working with her [Hoda] and you’re like, wait a minute, she’s funny too,” he said to Savannah.
Hoda’s final episode of the show was on January 10. She was surprised with a slew of celebrity guests during the celebratory episode, including Today alum Kathie Lee Gifford. She shed tears during the farewell broadcast, which also included a surprise appearance from her kids.
“Can I just say thank you? I haven’t been able to articulate it, because I’m a mess most times, but I just want to say thanks,” Hoda said with tears in her eyes.
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