We’ve had a couple weeks now to let the news sink in: Hoda Kotb is leaving ‘The Today Show‘.
After 17 years, the co-host stunned viewers on September 26 by sharing the surprising new:
“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new.”
While we applaud Hoda for knowing her own mind and for coming to a decision that benefits her and her family, the race is now on to see who will be filling her shoes on the Today Show panel.
Since she made her announcement, everyone has weighed in on the topic, from longtime fans to studio execs – to Hoda herself!
Who will replace Hoda on The Today Show? Well, now we know.
You’re on, Craig!
Craig Melvin step into Hoda’s shoes on “Today” and lead the show into tomorrow.
The longtime NBC News journalist has spent years anchoring and co-anchoring on MSNBC and as well as on The Today Show. In fact, since 2018, he’s been co-anchoring the show’s 9 a.m. hour, typically known as the “3rd hour.”
Now, he will step up to co-host the flagship 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. hours of “Today,” alongside Savannah Guthrie.
However, NBC has yet to announce a fill-in for Kotb’s other role, co-anchoring the 10 a.m. hour, which she does with Jenna Bush Hager and which is focused more on lifestyle topics. But there are still some ideas for that.
The Other Frontrunner
There were other names tossed around before the network landed on Craig.
“The big contender who everyone at the network is talking about is Laura Jarrett — she has a really strong chance,” an NBC insider has told Us Weekly.
“She’s the anchor of Weekend Today; she is a lawyer like [Kotb’s coanchor] Savannah [Guthrie]. She’s a darling at the Today show who has risen up very quickly.“
Laura is 40 years old and her mother, Valerie Jarrett, served as Barack Obama’s senior advisor during his administration.
She replaced Kristen Welker as co-anchor of Today Show’s Saturday coverage in September 2023.
Hiring From Within
Other options also work for NBC these days.
Obviously, they went with Craig Melvin, but they could’ve just as easily went with Carson Daly, according to this same source.
“The other option is they could move around anchors,” the insider explains. “They could put Craig with Savannah, or they could put [3rd Hour Today cohost] Sheneille [Jones] with Savannah.
We’ve also heard buzz around these parts about Political and National correspondent Jacob Soboroff, along with NBC News Now anchor Tom Llamas.
Both of these personalities are considered rising stars — and executives are aware that Al Roker, Lester Holt and Dateline’s Keith Morrison all may retire in the near future.
For her part, Meteorologist Dylan Dreyer spoke to E! News and was asked to forecast who might fill Today’s soon-to-be empty anchor chair.
“I don’t think if they named anyone in our core group of people it would be surprising,” she told to Keltie Knight at the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, keeping things diplomatic and adding:
“We’ve all filled in along the way when somebody’s out. I don’t know if anybody’s made any decisions yet, but if it’s one of the core group, I really don’t think it’s that surprising.”
The Fan-Favorite Choice
While it makes perfect sense to promote from within, there are of course many, many other options to consider outside the studio.
And even some who have already auditioned live and have sparked fan favor with their appearances.
Enter Snoop Dogg to the chat.
On October 17, Snoop joined Hoda and Jenna to co-host the morning show and the reaction was electric!
Fans immediately began singing the praises of the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper, and actually started to speculate how awesome it would be if he replaced Hoda on Today.
“Well, now that Hoda is leaving the show, her only [replacement] can be Snoop ,” suggested a fan on Instagram.
Hoda Reflects On Her Next Chapter
When she made the announcement, Hoda referenced her young children, making it clear she needed to spend more time with her five and seven-year old.
“Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have.
“I feel like we only have a finite amount of time. And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”
Perfectly understandable, of course.
Now, Hoda will remain behind the Today Show desk until January 1 and will then remain within the “NBC family” in some capacity.
In an October 9 interview with People, Kotb gave the perfect advice for the person who takes on the role when she’s gone. “Whoever’s interested in that seat, and it’s maybe the best seat in television, I think the best advice I have is to be 1,000% who you are, because that’s really the key,” Kotb said.
“And the other thing, too, is sometimes to me, part of the magic is to be able to delight in the person sitting next to you,” she added. “It’s such a small thing, but sometimes when you’re with someone, if you just let them shine. Give everyone a second, because who wants to be the person at the cocktail party who’s talking all the time?”