Following Hoda Kotb’s departure on Friday, January 10, Craig Melvin stepped into her co-anchor role on Monday, January 13. Melvin’s new co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, along with weatherman Al Roker, showed their support. However, Carson Daly couldn’t resist making a joke about the change.
“You know what the Today show is good at?” Daly, 51, asked during the broadcast. “It’s getting rid of pictures. No sign of Hoda anywhere in the back. All the hallways now, Craig is everywhere.”
Melvin, 45, laughed and agreed, admitting, “I was surprised by it too.” Roker then joked, “It’s like the reverse of the Elf on the Shelf.”
Still, Melvin was cautious about being seen as erasing Kotb from the show. “Should we check the weather before we get in trouble?” he asked Roker.
“I think we should,” Roker responded, laughing. “That was the shortest tenure ever.”
Melvin, excited to begin his first official day as co-anchor, told Guthrie, “Let’s go. And there’s no one I would rather ride with than you.” Meanwhile, Kotb expressed her support for Melvin and Guthrie on Instagram before the debut.
“Wake up in the morning … and knock ‘em dead @savannahguthrie @craigmelvinnbc xxx I am rooting for you ,” Kotb wrote alongside a photo of the two co-anchors.
While Kotb is cheering on her former colleagues, she’s also enjoying a break. She shared a screenshot of her 3 a.m. alarm turned off, captioning it, “No alarm…whaaaaaaaattttt???”
The mother of two also shared a positive message on Instagram, posting, “And suddenly, you know… It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”
“Here’s to everyone starting fresh— @craigmelvinnbc and @savannahguthrie … @jennabushhager and friends.. and to me! Let’s do this!” Kotb added.
