Savannah Guthrie has confirmed that Craig Melvin will replace Hoda Kotb when she leaves the Today show in January 2025.
The 52-year-old host, who revealed in September that she would be leaving the NBC morning show, made the announcement Thursday morning as Hoda, 60, declared that her last day on the air will be Friday, January 10.
‘I just want to say that we will spend a week celebrating you. “As you mentioned, we have a lot to celebrate,” said Savannah, a mother of two.
‘Although you are irreplaceable, we are very excited about the news in our Today family and that is the person sitting next to me, our dear friend and talented, wonderful, hard-working, most worthy of this, Craig Melvin is the new one. host of the Today show,” she continued.
‘And let me tell you that the staff, the largest staff, found out this morning and people burst into applause. “This is one of the most popular decisions NBC News has ever made.”
Today they confirmed that Craig Melvin will replace Hoda Kotb in the new year
Hoda Kotb confirmed that her last day on air will be Friday, January 10
Looking excited, Craig then said, “I’m beyond excited and grateful, and just, you know, I had a lot of conversations yesterday with a lot of people that mean a lot to me, and obviously I want to thank NBC.” and the people here who have deemed me worthy.
But I have to start by thanking the man above. “Thanking my lord above and his son Jesus, I have enjoyed a lifetime of blessings, and this is the latest in a long list of blessings,” he continued.
And yesterday I talked to mom and dad. I’m grateful that you’re still young and healthy enough to be able to watch this and enjoy the fruits of your labor, and you all know my backstory.
‘My mother’s mother was a janitor at an elementary school, and my father’s mother had to take care of five children, so he crunched numbers and sold liquor for a long time and ended up in prison. My dad was born in prison, that didn’t define him, he overcame addictions in his life and has become one of my favorite human beings.’
Craig continued: ‘My mom, at one point, took a second job to make sacrifices to support our family, and for that I’m grateful. And my wife, Lindsay, who has put up with me for 13 years, and God bless her.
‘And even before that, she was there at the beginning of this professional journey. I talked to her this morning, she’s traveling, we had a nice time and I’m so grateful for her and for dealing with years of… you know what this job is?
‘I mean, it’s a lot of long days and short nights, and she’s been there for me from the beginning. And to my children, who make me proud every day. I love them and this place.
“People see us on TV every morning, what they don’t see is the people behind the cameras and below. We have the best team in television news and I’m honored to be a part of that.”
Sheinelle Jones, Jenna Bush Hager and Carson Daly were on hand when Savannah announced the big news Thursday morning.
Then Hoda told him: ‘Craig, you’re made for this job. You were literally made for this job. You’re that good. You have all the things this job needs. You’re the right person for it.’
Craig responded: It means a lot to hear this from you. “You’ve been the heart of this place for a long time (and) you helped save this show.”
Then today we cut to Al Roker, who was live-streaming via Zoom from his home and was eager to praise his co-host.
‘Well, you know, I always come back… and, Hoda, you were there for this, and we were having lunch with Craig during the Winter Olympics in South Korea and Craig had some doubts and he was thinking and we both said, “This is it.” , you are here, you have everything.”
‘And I knew this day would come. I’ve seen you grow. I have seen you as a journalist, but, more importantly, I have seen you as a father, as a son, all the things that make you who you are.
‘I am very proud and very happy for you right now. Because you are very worthy of this. And I… I almost have no words,” the 70-year-old added.
Craig, who was clearly fighting back tears, simply responded: “I love you, I love you, thank you,” before telling his co-hosts that they are like brothers to him.
“I want people to know that I didn’t have sisters, but you are the sisters I never knew I needed and I mean that,” Craig told them.