Craig Melvin is stepping into the role of a lifetime when Hoda Kotb exits Today on Friday, January 10. But the veteran newscaster admitted that he has some big shoes to fill.
“I think I’m as ready as one could ever be,” he told Entertainment Tonight in an interview posted on Thursday, January 8. “I’m excited. I’m anxious. I’m nervous but I’m honored.”
“It would be nice if I didn’t have to follow Hoda Kotb,” the South Carolina native confessed. “It would be nice if the show weren’t doing as well as it’s doing but I made peace with that. We’re going to give it our all. … You just don’t want to be the man or the woman that screws it up.”
ET‘s Rachel Smith gave him some advice — “Don’t eat on TV.” She also encouraged him to throw in some dance moves during his first day in his new role.
Craig, 45, has been known to enjoy the delicious food prepared during cooking segments on the show, as well as backstage moments where he sneaked off to grab a snack.
“By the way, you know that’s one of my mother’s biggest pet peeves,” he said of all of the times he has eaten on camera on Today. “She’s like, ‘Why are you always on TV eating like you haven’t eaten anything all day?’ and I’m like, ‘Some days I haven’t, like, I’ve been up for five hours. It’s my lunch.’”
But fans of the beloved talk show have faith that Craig will be an exceptional replacement for Hoda, 60, who was the face of the show for 17 years before announcing her departure.
An insider told Closer that Craig was feeling the pressure ahead of his official debut as Savannah Guthrie’s coanchor on Monday, January 13.
“Nobody’s questioning whether he’s worth it, he’s a very talented guy who’s worked very hard for this opportunity,” an insider told Closer in December 2024. “The entire team is on board with him taking on this role, but of course, the pressure is really on because he’s got huge shoes to fill.”
“Hoda is a total legend,” the insider added. “The audience loved her and so did the network. Craig has a lot of goodwill and no doubt he’ll throw himself into the job and give it everything he’s got, but ultimately it will come down to the ratings.”
Hoda did give Craig some advice before gearing up to celebrate her final day on the program.
“Hoda was one of the first people to call, and we had a delightful conversation,” he told DailyMail.com on January 8 of the promotion. “She’s like, ‘Soak it all in. You gotta savor every moment. This is gonna be a heck of a ride, hopefully for a number of years, don’t get lost in the weeds, savor it all in.’”
“And so I’m trying to take that to heart,” Craig shared.
The dad of two, who shares kids Delano and Sybil with wife Lindsay Czarniak, also recalled when he and Hoda grew closer as they cohosted the show amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She would remind me sometimes that we get to do this. We get to do this!” he reflected.
“So every now and then I have to remind myself, even on long days like this, even when I miss the kids recital or basketball game, that this is a professional privilege that a lot of folks would love to have,” Craig explained.
