In a major shift at *The Today Show*, Craig Melvin has earned a significant promotion, officially taking over Hoda Kotb’s co-hosting role alongside Savannah Guthrie. 

This announcement comes just one month after Kotb announced her departure from the show.

While Kotb will remain within the NBC News family, Melvin will take his place at the iconic morning show’s anchor desk starting January 13, 2025, during the 7 and 8 a.m. hours.

Melvin’s promotion marks the latest milestone in a distinguished career that has spanned years of anchoring and reporting.

When the news broke, an emotional Melvin expressed his gratitude and excitement.

“I am beyond excited and grateful,” Melvin said on air. “I’ve enjoyed just a lifetime of blessings, and this is the latest in a long line of blessings.”

For many fans, Melvin’s appointment was the natural choice. Having served as co-anchor of the 9 a.m. hour of *The Today Show* since 2018, Melvin has become a trusted and familiar presence. His steady and professional approach has earned him the affection of viewers and colleagues alike.

A source close to the situation shared with *Us Weekly* that Melvin was “the right choice, the clear choice, the choice that everybody could get behind,” adding, “He is so beloved.”

Melvin’s rise to the co-anchor chair is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Before joining *Today*, he made his mark at MSNBC, where he anchored and co-anchored, and he was also a key contributor to *Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly* and *Dateline Extra*.

His roots, however, go back to Columbia, South Carolina, where he started his career as a reporter. Along the way, he earned accolades, including being named Best Anchor by the South Carolina Broadcaster’s Association in 2007.

Now, as Melvin steps into this coveted role, insiders suggest that his salary could range between $5 and $6 million per year—an impressive sum reflecting both his new responsibilities and his years of experience in the industry.

Beyond his professional achievements, Melvin is a family man. He married former ESPN sports anchor Lindsay Czarniak on October 15, 2011, and together they have two children: a 10-year-old son, Delano, and an 8-year-old daughter, Sybil. The family resides in Connecticut, and Melvin has often spoken about how much his role as a father influences his approach to life and work.

Melvin’s colleagues have been quick to express their support for his promotion. Hoda Kotb, who made her emotional exit from the program, passed the torch to Melvin with high praise.

“You have all the things this job needs,” Kotb told him, adding, “You are the right person for it.” Savannah Guthrie, who will continue to co-host with Melvin, also expressed her excitement and admiration.

While acknowledging that Kotb would remain “irreplaceable in our hearts,” Guthrie said that Melvin was “talented, wonderful, hard-working, [and] most worthy” of the role.

Al Roker, a long-time fixture on the *Today Show* as the weatherman, also chimed in on Melvin’s promotion. Joining the team remotely via Zoom, Roker shared his pride in Melvin’s accomplishments. “I knew that this day would come.

I’ve watched you grow. I’ve seen you as a journalist, but more importantly, I’ve seen you as a dad, as a son, all the things that make you who you are,” Roker said. “I am so proud and so happy for you right now because you are so worthy of this.”

As Melvin prepares to step into his new role in 2025, his colleagues’ support and the excitement from viewers are clear indicators that he is ready for the challenge.

With his extensive experience, his warm and approachable personality, and his proven track record on *The Today Show*, Craig Melvin is poised to carry on the program’s legacy of delivering timely news, entertainment, and heartwarming moments to millions of viewers.

The next chapter of *The Today Show* with Craig Melvin at the helm promises to be an exciting one.

Fans of the show can look forward to his steady leadership as he joins Savannah Guthrie in anchoring the iconic morning program. It’s a new era for *Today*, and Melvin is ready to make it his own.