Today’s Craig Melvin Gets Surprise From Hoda Kotb Amid Co-Anchor Debut

Craig Melvin is stepping into his new role—but not without shedding a few tears.

Three days following Hoda Kotb’s almost 20-year stint at Today, Craig assumed his position alongside Savannah Guthrie early this morning, commencing his term as co-anchor on the NBC morning program.

In the start of the January 13th episode of Today, Savannah, aged 53, expressed, “You’ve taken a seat here numerous times, but this morning holds something extraordinary.” She continued, “Alright, let’s embark on this. It promises to be a breathtaking journey.

“And there’s no one I would rather ride with than you,” Craig responded, “so let’s do this.”

45-year-old’s fresh, emotional odyssey starts seven years following his inclusion in the third hour of Today, after three years as a weekend co-host. In a chat with Savannah and NBC Sports commentator Mike Tirico, Craig contemplated shifts as he steps into Hoda’s position, considering guidance from those who preceded him.

Craig stated that Hoda had offered him guidance. He added that making significant changes might not be logical. The path you’ve taken and the actions you’ve made are likely the reasons for your current position.

He plans on arriving earlier, and starting tomorrow, he’ll deliver Savannah a coffee each morning. He believes this is the best help he can offer.

In the end, it became clear beyond a doubt who would be stepping into the role left vacant by Hoda’s heartfelt departure, as Savannah had disclosed.

She pointed out that he had been chosen almost unanimously. In truth, there wasn’t much of a contest. His selection seemed inevitable.

What about Hoda’s plans for her initial day off? Primarily, she intends to unwind, but more crucially, she plans to catch up on sleep.

She titled her January 12th Instagram post with ‘No alarm,’ and it displayed an array of unactivated alarms set between 3 am and 3:30 am. Her response to this unexpected occurrence was expressed as, “What in the world???

Though I wasn’t physically present to join in the festivities for Craig’s monumental first day, my spirit was there, cheering him on every step of the way! In lieu of a traditional celebration, I penned an impromptu message filled with heartfelt sentiments, which I hope he’ll find amidst the show’s hustle and bustle.

Hoda greeted with a cheerful exclamation: “Craig-or!”, expressing her excitement about your first day. She couldn’t help but feel proud of you and wanted to make sure you knew it. After all, she believes that you’re going to excel in this new endeavor!

However, the unexpected events didn’t stop at just that. Alongside Hoda’s heartfelt verses, a gymnasium brimming with Craig’s hometown acquaintances, including his high school principal Dr. Carlos Smith, gathered in Columbia, South Carolina to lend their encouragement. To cap it all, Craig’s family made an unanticipated visit to Studio 1A to boost him during his debut as co-anchor – among them were his wife Lindsay Czarniak and children Delano, aged 10, and Sybil, who is 8 years old.

Lindsay expressed pride in Melvin due to his kind nature and sincerity. She added that they are thrilled and eager about this quality of his,” Lindsay said.

Apart from him, his parents, Betty Jo and Lawrence Melvin, as well as his younger brother Ryan Melvin, who traveled from South Carolina, were also present on the show to share this memorable experience with him.

Betty Jo expressed, “Today I felt like there were fluttering birds in my tummy.” And she added, “He’s demonstrated exceptional effort, convincing everyone of his dedication. He truly deserves this. We adore him.

To see more memorable moments from the Today family, keep reading…

The host penned down, “Another Halloween has passed,” as she rejoiced the day with her daughter, Haley Joy.

The anchor and his spouse excitedly shared that they had given birth to their fourth child, little Goldie Patricia Daly!

Kelly manages to maintain a fairly tranquil environment for her three small children – Edward, Yardley, and Thatcher. However, she and her author spouse often make numerous joint appearances in the public eye.

Previously, Hoda worked alongside a woman who cherishes her role as a mother to her two kids, Cassidy and Cody, both of whom she raised with her late spouse, Frank.

The television personality is a mother to two young children, Vale Guthrie Feldman and Charles Max Feldman, alongside her partner Mike Feldman. She gave birth to Charles in December 2016.

The anchor and his wife, Deborah Roberts, are parents to Leila Roker and Nicholas Albert Roker.

Since the year 2003, the host of ‘Sunday Today’ has been wedded to his spouse, Christina. Together, they are blessed with two kids, George William Geist and Lucie Joy Geist.

2025-01-13 17:47

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