Craig Melvin is getting candid on Hoda Kotb’s “Today” exit.
The anchor was so surprised his fellow journalist was leaving NBC after nearly 30 years that he asked Kotb if the decision to leave wasn’t hers.
“My dressing room is two over from hers, and she knocks on my door one morning, which was unusual. And she’s like, ‘You have a moment?’” Melvin, 45, recalled in an interview with Parade magazine on Friday. “She came in, and she said, ‘I just wanted to tell you something. I’m leaving.’”
The reporter noted that his “initial reaction was, ‘Are you sick? Is everything OK?’ I was like, ‘Well, no one leaves these jobs on their own.’”
Kotb, 60, informed Melvin she wanted to step away from the show while she was “on top,” but he still wasn’t convinced.
“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.”
In September last year, Kotb made the shocking announcement that she would be leaving “Today” at the beginning of 2025.
Puck News reported at the time that Kotb was making more than $20 million a year and decided to leave after NBC bosses proposed a pay cut.
However, a senior NBC source estimated that Kotb was actually making $7-8 million annually.
But the mom-of-two explained that her decision was actually influenced by turning 60 and wanting to spend more time with her daughters Haley, 8, and Hope, 5. Two months later, it was revealed that Melvin would be taking over her position as Savannah Guthrie’s co-anchor.
“Craig, you were made for this job. You were literally made for this job. You are that kind of good,” Kotb gushed during a November episode. “You have all the things that this job needs. You’re the right person for it.”
Melvin gave the love right back, stating: “It means a lot to inherit this from you. You’ve been the heart of this place for a long time. You helped save this show.”
The broadcaster, meanwhile, told Parade that he “never dreamed that any of this would happen, which I think makes it even sweeter.”
Melvin, who shares son Delano, 10, and daughter Sybil, 8, with wife, Lindsay Czarniak, added, “Outside of getting married and having my kids, I don’t know if I’ve ever been more excited about something.”
The TV personality began his co-anchor position on Monday alongside Guthrie, 53. The day of, Kotb surprised Melvin with a heartfelt poem which he read on air.
“Craig! I’m moving forward, so reach back your hand. Grab the baton, your world will expand. The adventures are endless … the people so dear. Great memories await, year after year,” Kotb wrote. “Day One! You are ready surrounded by love. Your team is the kind you can only dream of. Savannah, Al [Roker] and Carson [Daly] are here!
“With partners like these, your runway is clear. From out on the plaza, to inside 30 Rock, Your fans are so eager, they’re watching the clock. The time has arrived to rise like the sun. I am cheering for you, and a fabulous run! XOXO Hoda.”
