Craig Melvin joins Savannah Guthrie as TODAY Show Co-Anchor

Nearly two months after Hoda Kotb announced she would be leaving TODAY, viewers can now know that a familiar face will slide into her chair as co-anchor.

Craig Melvin, who has been with NBC News for nearly 14 years, moves into the co-anchor seat with Savannah Guthrie in the 7 and 8 a.m. hours. He will begin on Monday, January 13, after Hoda bids farewell to his morning duties on Friday, January 10.

Craig has held a number of positions during his years at TODAY, from weekend co-anchor to his current roles as co-host of the 3rd hour of TODAY and news anchor in the earlier hours. He is also the husband of sportscaster Lindsay Czarniak and the proud father of Delano, 10, and Sybil, 8.

“We are very excited to have Craig step into the chair as co-anchor,” Libby Leist, senior vice president of TODAY, said in a Nov. 14 statement to staff. “He has been an integral and beloved part of our family. From breaking news coverage in the field, to presidential interviews, to multiple Olympics and Super Bowls, Craig has shown that he has the talent and reach to cover everything we do here in I DAG. And he does it without ever losing that southern charm.”

Craig will continue to host the 3rd hour with Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones.

TODAY with Hoda & Jenna will also see some changes after Hoda’s departure. TODAY’s fourth hour, hosted by Hoda and Jenna Bush Hager since April 2019, will debut as TODAY with Jenna & Friends on January 13 until a permanent co-host is named. The show will feature a rotating cast of fill-in co-hosts, new games and more.

TODAY will celebrate Hoda throughout her final shows in January.

Hoda emotionally shared on TODAY on Sept. 26 that she felt it was time to move on from the show, a decision she felt moved to make after celebrating her 60th birthday in August.

“I realized it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and try something new,” she said. “I remembered standing outside looking at these beautiful bunch of people with these beautiful signs and I thought, ‘This is what the crest of the wave feels like to me.’ And I thought it can’t get any better and I decided it’s the right time for me to move on.”

At the time of Hoda’s announcement, Craig shared his admiration for Hoda’s authenticity on and off camera.

“People in this business, when the little red light goes off, they’re different people,” Craig said. “We’ve worked with all these people before. You’re the opposite. The little red light goes off, you’re exactly how people see you in the morning – just the biggest heart.

“You’ve been the heart of this show for a long time, and there’s no replacing that.”