Savannah Guthrie has confirmed that Craig Melvin will replace Hoda Kotb when she departs the Today show in January 2025.
The 52-year-old host made the announcement on Thursday’s morning’s show as Hoda, 60, revealed that her very last day on 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,’ mother-of-two Savannah said.
‘Though you are irreplaceable, we are so excited about the news in our Today family and that is the person sitting right next to me, our dear friend and talented, wonderful, hard-working, most worthy of this, Craig Melvin is the new anchor of the Today show,’ she continued.
‘And let me just say that the staff, the larger staff found out this morning, and people broke into applause. This is the one of the most popular decisions NBC news has ever made.’
Today have 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 emotional, Craig then said: ‘I am beyond excited and grateful, and I just, you know, I’ve had a lot of conversations yesterday with a lot of people who mean a lot to me, and I want to obviously thank NBC and the folks here who have deemed me worthy.
‘But I have to start by thanking the man upstairs. Thanking my lord above and his son Jesus, and I’ve enjoyed just a lifetime of blessings, and this is the latest in a long line of blessings,’ he continued.
‘And I talked to mom and dad yesterday. I’m thankful that they’re still young enough and healthy enough to be able to see this and enjoy the fruits of their labor, and you all know my back story.
‘My mother’s mother was an elementary school custodian, and my father’s mother had to take care of five kids, so she ran numbers and ran 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 he’s become one of my favorite human beings.’
Craig continued: ‘My mom, at one point picks up a second job to sacrifice and provide for our family, and so I’m grateful to them. And my wife, Lindsay, who has endured 13 years of me, and God bless her.
‘And even before that, she was along for the beginning of this professional journey. I talked to her this morning, she’s traveling, and we had a nice moment and I’m just so thankful for her and 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 my kids, who make me proud every day. I love them and this place.
‘People see us on TV every morning, what they don’t see are the folks behind these cameras and downstairs, we have the best team in television news and I’m honored to be a part of that.’
Hoda then told him: ‘Craig, you are made for this job. You were literally made for this job. You are that kind of good. You have all the things that this job needs. You are the right person for it.’
