Craig Melvin is grateful for his new role on Today, but he admitted there’s one part of the job that seriously “stinks.” The TV personality opened up about his early wake-up time and getting used to his new schedule as Hoda Kotb’s replacement.

“I was like, ‘Are they forcing you out?’ She’s like, ‘No Craig, I’m OK. I’m leaving,’” he recalled. “I was legit stunned, so much so that after she left, I went back to her dressing room, and I was like, ‘Are you sure you’re OK?’ It takes a certain kind of courage to leave anything when you’re at the height of your game.”

Were you surprised when NBC announced that Craig Melvin would succeed Hoda Kotb as a co-anchor on the Today show? It turns out we weren't the only ones shocked by the news — Craig was, too. In November 2024,