{"id":143171,"date":"2025-01-10T17:17:48","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T17:17:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/10\/craig-melvin-anxious-excited-at-replacing-hoda-kotb-on-today\/"},"modified":"2025-01-10T17:17:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T17:17:48","slug":"craig-melvin-anxious-excited-at-replacing-hoda-kotb-on-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/10\/craig-melvin-anxious-excited-at-replacing-hoda-kotb-on-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig Melvin Anxious, Excited at Replacing Hoda Kotb on &#8216;Today&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Craig Melvin has big shoes to fill.<\/p>\n<p>And, following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/01\/hoda-kotb-says-5-year-old-daughter-convinced-her-to-quit-today-show\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hoda\u2019s departure<\/a>, he knows it.<\/p>\n<p>In November, NBC named <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2024\/11\/who-will-replace-hoda-kotb-on-today\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Craig Melvin to replace Hoda Kotb<\/a> on <em>The Today Show<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s freely admitting how intimidating it is to step in for such an iconic television host.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Craig Melvin on January 7, 2025.\" class=\"wp-image-516470 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-scaled.jpg 1706w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_01-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Craig Melvin attends the 2025 National Board of Review Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on January 07, 2025.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo Credit: Mike Coppola\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-co-hosting-today-will-be-huge-for-craig-melvin\">Co-hosting \u2018Today\u2019 will be huge for Craig Melvin<\/h2>\n<p>Following Hoda Kotb\u2019s Friday, January 10 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2024\/09\/hoda-kotb-qutting-today-show\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">departure from <em>Today<\/em><\/a>, Craig Melvin is getting one of the most desirable broadcasting roles on television. Naturally, he\u2019s anxious.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think I\u2019m as ready as one could ever be,\u201d the veteran newscaster told <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etonline.com\/media\/videos\/why-craig-melvin-is-nervous-to-take-over-for-hoda-kotb-on-today-exclusive-233177\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Entertainment Tonight<\/a><\/em> ahead of the transition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m excited. I\u2019m anxious,\u201d he admitted. He then affirmed: \u201cI\u2019m nervous but I\u2019m honored.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin on November 30, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-516471\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin on November 30, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-516471 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_02-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NBC anchors Craig Melvin and Hoda Kotb pose during the 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Rockefeller Center on November 30, 2022.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo Credit: John Lamparski\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt would be nice if I didn\u2019t have to follow Hoda Kotb,\u201d Melvin went on to admit. In other words, she\u2019s set a very high bar in terms of audience rapport \u2014 and in terms of ratings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt would be nice if the show weren\u2019t doing as well as it\u2019s doing,\u201d he added. \u201cBut I made peace with that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Melvin emphasized: \u201cWe\u2019re going to give it our all. \u2026 You just don\u2019t want to be the man or the woman that screws it up.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Craig Melvin on May 8, 2024.\" class=\"wp-image-516472\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Craig Melvin on May 8, 2024.\" class=\"wp-image-516472 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-640x960.jpg 640w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-720x1080.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-800x1200.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_03-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Craig Melvin attends the Annual Night of Opportunity Gala hosted by The Opportunity Network at Cipriani Wall Street on May 08, 2024.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris\/Getty Images for Opportunity Network)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-everyone-has-advice-for-craig-melvin-in-his-new-role\">Everyone has advice for Craig Melvin in his new role<\/h2>\n<p>During the <em>Entertainment Tonight <\/em>interview, he received the advice: \u201cDon\u2019t eat on TV.\u201d Though he was not yet Savannah Guthrie\u2019s co-host, he has enjoyed some <em>Today <\/em>snacks on air before.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy the way, you know that\u2019s one of my mother\u2019s biggest pet peeves,\u201d Melvin shared. \u201cShe\u2019s like, \u2018Why are you always on TV eating like you haven\u2019t eaten anything all day?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He continued, explaining: \u201cAnd I\u2019m like, \u2018Some days I haven\u2019t, like, I\u2019ve been up for five hours. It\u2019s my lunch.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Hoda Kotb to Craig Melvin: &#039;You&#039;re going to be fantastic&#039; co-anchoring TODAY news desk\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/T71TMxxsPP4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>It will take more than dietary restraint (and perhaps busting out some dance moves, as <em>ET <\/em>also suggested) to secure Craig Melvin\u2019s place in the minds of viewers.<\/p>\n<p>Hoda Kotb has been the face of the show for 17 years. She has established rapports <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2024\/07\/hoda-kotb-and-kevin-costner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">with celebrity guests<\/a> and with viewers who watch at home.<\/p>\n<p>When Melvin makes his formal debut on January 13, it could be a shock to the audience. (Change is hard!)<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Craig Melvin on November 10, 2023.\" class=\"wp-image-516473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Craig Melvin on November 10, 2023.\" class=\"wp-image-516473 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0110_craigmelvin_04-scaled.jpg\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Craig Melvin on stage during the OMEGA panel discussion with Olympic ambassadors at The Planet OMEGA exhibition launch at the Chelsea Factory on November 10, 2023.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo Credit: Roy Rochlin\/Getty Images for OMEGA)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ultimately-his-success-will-be-measured-in-ratings\">Ultimately, his success will be measured in ratings<\/h2>\n<p>A few weeks ago, an inside source spoke to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.closerweekly.com\/posts\/craig-melvin-anxious-and-nervous-about-replacing-todays-hoda-kotb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Closer<\/a> <\/em>about the stakes of Craig Melvin\u2019s new gig.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNobody\u2019s questioning whether he\u2019s worth it, he\u2019s a very talented guy who\u2019s worked very hard for this opportunity,\u201d the insider affirmed.\u201cThe entire team is on board with him taking on this role.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The source acknowledged: \u201cBut of course, the pressure is really on because he\u2019s got huge shoes to fill. Hoda is a total legend. The audience loved her and so did the network.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2025\/01\/craig-melvin-anxious-hoda-kotb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Craig Melvin has big shoes to fill. And, following Hoda\u2019s departure, he knows it. In November, NBC named Craig Melvin to replace Hoda Kotb on The Today Show. He\u2019s freely admitting how intimidating it is to step in for such an iconic television host. Craig Melvin attends the 2025 National Board of Review Gala at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-143171","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=143171"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143171\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=143171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=143171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=143171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}