Veteran NBC host Craig Melvin has been chosen to replace Hoda Kotb for the first hours of the “Today” show
NEW YORK– Veteran NBC host and news anchor Craig Melvin was tapped to replace Hoda Kotb as co-host of the “Today” show, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Melvin is a familiar face to viewers of the “Today” show. He currently hosts the third hour of the show and is the news anchor for the first two hours. He will continue to host the third hour with Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones.
“He is an integral and beloved part of our family,” said Libby Leist, senior vice president of “Today.” said in a statement. “From covering breaking news on the field to presidential interviews, including multiple Olympics and Super Bowls, Craig has shown he has the talent and range to cover everything we do here at ‘Today’ ‘. And he does it without ever losing that Southern charm.
Kotb’s last official day on the show will be January 10. She announced in September that she was leaving “Today,” which typically comes third in the morning after ABC’s “Good Morning America.” NBC News did not reveal Kotb’s other role choice, co-hosting the 10 a.m. show, which she does with Jenna Bush Hager.
“I’ve had a lifetime of blessings and this is the latest,” Melvin said on air Thursday. Of Kotb and Guthrie, he said: “You are the sisters I never knew I needed. And he said of Kotb, “you saved the show,” which, while hyperbolic, was referring to his taking over precipitously after the event. Matt Lauer scandal.
Melvin’s wife, sportscaster Lindsay Czarniak, who hosted NBC’s coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics on USA Network, posted his congratulations on Instagram.
“The opportunity to see the person you love see their dream come true is a true gift. I will never forget this day and the public’s enthusiasm to share your good news,” she wrote.
