Hoda Kotb’s Replacement and Savannah Guthrie’s New ‘Today’ Co-Anchor Announced

Via a post shared on Instagram, the show revealed that NBC broadcast journalist Craig Melvin will be joining Savannah Guthrie as the new “Today” co-anchor. He will start this position next year (2025).

Following Kotb’s upcoming departure on Friday, January 10, 2025, Guthrie and Melvin will host the segments for the 7 and 8 a.m. hours, starting Monday, January 13, 2025.

Although Melvin will be stepping into new territory, this is not his first rodeo with “Today,” as he has an extensive history with NBC News. The announcement comes nearly two months after Kotb first revealed she would be leaving the morning show.

In addition to their Instagram post, the “Today” crew, including Guthrie, Kotb, Melvin, Carson Daly, Jenna Bush Hager, and Sheinelle Jones, discussed the news during a segment on the show, which was posted on YouTube. Fellow anchor Al Roker joined the ensemble a little later via a video call.

After Kotb confirmed her departure date, she shared that there will be a party hosted in her honor. Following this, Guthrie reiterated how dearly missed Kotb will be, noting how she is “irreplaceable” before veering the conversation toward Melvin’s new role.

As she announced the news, Guthrie showered Melvin with compliments, dubbing him “talented, wonderful, hard-working, most worthy of this.”

Following a hearty applause from the other anchors and a hug exchanged between Melvin and Guthrie, she mentioned, “And let me just say that the larger staff found out this morning, and people broke into applause. This is one of the most popular decisions NBC News has ever made. Congratulations.”

“I am beyond excited and grateful, and I just, you know — I had a lot of conversations yesterday with a lot of people who mean a lot to me, and I just want to obviously thank NBC and the folks here who deemed me worthy. But, you know I got to start by thanking the man upstairs,” responded Melvin.

He went on to reiterate his gratitude at how blessed he has been throughout his life, and share that he spoke to his mom and dad about the news the previous day. “They’re still young enough and healthy enough to be able to see this and enjoy the fruits of their labor,” disclosed Melvin.

The recently promoted broadcaster then divulged some details about his familial background and marveled at how far he and his family have come.

“My mother’s mother was a [sic] elementary school custodian, and my father’s mother had to take care of five kids. So she, you know, ran numbers and ran liquor for a long time, ended up in prison, and my dad was born in prison, that didn’t define him. He overcame addictions in his life,” disclosed Melvin.

He also mentioned that his mom had to work two jobs to provide for their family and shone a spotlight on his wife of 13 years, Lindsay Czarniak, for her devotion to him and their relationship. Additionally, Melvin expressed his love and pride for his kids, who he said were tuned in to the show that morning.

Expressing his gratitude to the entire “Today” team, Melvin boasted, “We have the best team in television news, and I’m honored to be a part of that.”

Kotb chimed in, “Craig, you are made for this job […] You are that kind of good. You have all the things this job needs.”

Roker also made an appearance onscreen to pass along his congratulatory message to Craig Melvin and reminisce over their shared “Today” memories. “I am so proud and so happy for you right now because you are so worthy of this,” commended Al Roker.

Upon hearing the news, many netizens took to social media platforms to express their delight. “Great choice!” exclaimed a fan. Agreeing with the sentiment, another praised, “Really like his honesty! Good choice. Congratulations Craig Melvin! All the best to you.”

“Best choice ever! We love Craig!!!! Hoda will be missed. New journeys for all,” echoed a fellow admirer, while someone else swooned, “Well deserved! He was my pick when Hoda announced her departure.” Another fan added, “No surprise, about time. Well deserved, been watching him since he was on NBC 4 here in DC.”

Although there was a lot of praise, some people sat on the fence. “I like Craig, but his voice drives me crazy,” wrote a Facebooker. Another penned, “Seems very nice and very knowledgeable, but his gravely voice is strained? [sic]”

On the other hand, some netizens were not pleased by the news at all, with one user opining, “He always seems so arrogant.”

“I was hoping that he wouldn’t be the replacement selection. His voice is annoying and his mumbling is hard to understand. Most others seem pleased about this. I’m sorry to see Hoda go😰,” noted an observer.

A vehement netizen expressed, “He needs to speak louder!!!!!!!!…most times I have to turn the TV louder [sic], and then when the others speak, it’s way too loud.” “Ugh. He is very snarky a lot of the time. Not a great choice unless he learns how to not be a jerk sometimes,” stated another.

Criticism continued with comments such as, “His voice is irritating. Sorry!” and “Terrible choice. Will be trying out GMA cause Craig has a nasty attitude.”

The strong reactions come after Kotb first announced she would be leaving “Today,” which occurred before the public knew who her replacement would be.

In a tearjerking Instagram post shared by “Today” on September 26, an emotional Kotb began by explaining that when she had turned 60 earlier this year, she started to think about what the monumental decade would hold in store for her.

“And I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new,” divulged Kotb. She then referenced the 60th birthday celebration that “Today” held for her as the moment she realized, “This is what the top of the wave feels like for me, and I thought, ‘It can’t get better.’ And I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on.”

Kotb said she also thought about her two daughters, whom she had later in life. “I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have […] And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world,” expressed the doting mom.

In addition to the reflections she shared, Kotb, who will remain a part of the NBC family, drafted a letter to her “Today” colleagues.

Her words expressed that, although her decision is a painful one because of how much she loves and will miss them, she knows it’s the right choice for her to make.

She also fondly reminisced about her incredible career, marveling, “Looking back, the math is nuts. 26 years at NBC News – Ten years at ‘Dateline,’ seven on the seven o’clock hour, sixteen on the ten o’clock hour.”

In addition to reiterating the fact that she is leaving the show for her daughters, Kotb mentioned that her mom needs her more, too.

Speaking to People magazine about her departure in October, Kotb explained how she had felt yearnings pulling her toward something different.

She then said, “It does make more sense to stay at NBC. I’m financially secure and I would have job security. I mean, why would you ever not do that? But I’ve been watching my kids and I was thinking to myself, ‘I wonder what I’m missing?'”

Although Hoda Kotb confirmed that her reason for stepping away from “Today” has to do with her desire to devote more time to her daughters, reports suggested another possible reason for her departure, to which netizens responded.

Allegedly, she left her lucrative $20 million-plus per year deal after NBC proposed a pay cut. A veteran media executive noted that this is part of a broader trend, stating, “This is the age of the great resetting of TV news contracts. Everyone is getting their pay cut or their jobs eliminated.”

Reacting to Kotb’s departure and the reported reason, one user said, “She made her millions. Now it’s time to go spend them.” Another remarked, “Well, no [one] can say the Democrat-owned media doesn’t pay well. Hoda is worth 30 million dollars. I would quit too. There is so much more to do in life.”

“This is absolutely cringeworthy,” noted another person. Someone else exclaimed, “She’s being pushed out! Good job Hoda!” One YouTube user expressed admiration for Kotb, writing, “I always liked Hoda. She [deserves] every bit of retirement and [to] enjoy her time with her children and her life. All the best.”

Someone else echoed the same sentiments, saying, “Your kids will love having more of you. And you will love your newfound freedom. Congratulations Hoda.”

Kotb’s journey has been filled with challenges, triumphs, and a deep love for her family. As she steps into a new chapter, she remains focused on what matters most — her daughters and the life they are building together.