Craig Melvin was rocked by surprise when Hoda Kotb informed him she was leaving her long‑time role at Today. The moment came rather quietly: Melvin, whose dressing room is just two rooms down from Kotb’s, said she knocked on his door one morning. It was an unusual move.

She said, “You have a moment?” and then told him, “I just wanted to tell you something. I’m leaving.” Melvin described being stunned — his first thoughts were concern: “Are you sick? Is everything OK?” He added, “No one leaves these jobs on their own.”

Melvin wasn’t convinced in that first moment that Kotb was actually choosing to step away. He assumed there must have been pressure, or that perhaps she was being forced out — especially given the importance and visibility of her job.

He asked her directly, “Are they forcing you out?” Kotb’s response, Melvin recalled, was firm: “No Craig, I’m OK. I’m leaving.” Still, Melvin says it took him a while to absorb just how definitive her decision was.

Kotb, 60 at the time of the announcement, framed the move as deliberate. She said she wanted to depart while she was “on top.” She also cited personal reasons — especially her daughters, Haley, 8, and Hope, 5 — indicating a desire to spend more time with them, particularly after reaching her 60th birthday.

Rather than staying on indefinitely, she expressed a wish to pivot, to hand off the reins with dignity.

Media reports added nuance. Some outlets claimed that NBC had proposed a salary cut for Kotb, which possibly contributed to her decision. For example, Puck News reported that her then‑salary was over $20 million annually and that the proposed reduction was a factor.

Others quoted internal NBC sources estimating her actual pay was closer to $7‑8 million per year. Whether that discrepancy in figures reflects rumors, negotiations, or public posturing is unclear — but it added fuel to speculation that financial pressures may have played a part.

Melvin himself tried to reconcile what he thought with what Kotb was saying. After their first exchange, he says he went back to her dressing room and asked her again, “Are you sure you’re OK?”

He recognized that it “takes a certain kind of courage to leave anything when you’re at the height of your game.” To Melvin, her stepping away was brave, bold, even unexpected — but not forced.

In September 2024, the announcement came publicly: Kotb would exit the Today show at the beginning of 2025. Soon after, it was revealed that Melvin would take over her position as co-anchor alongside Savannah Guthrie. Melvin officially began this new role on January 13, 2025.

Kotb’s final broadcast was emotional. She expressed gratitude for her time on Today, the relationships built, the viewers who supported her, and the chance she had to work in such a high‑profile daily morning show.

Her departure was not framed as a resignation under duress but rather a well‑considered life choice. She made clear she still held love for the show, for her colleagues, and that she was proud of what she had done.

When Melvin assumed the co-anchor role, Kotb offered her blessing. On one of her final episodes, she praised Melvin, saying something to the effect of: “Craig, you were made for this job. You were literally made for this job.

You are that kind of good.” Melvin, in turn, expressed gratitude and respect for what Kotb had done, recognizing the importance of her role and what she meant to the show.

The transition had other implications as well. There was public discussion about the financial side of things — how much Kotb was being paid, whether NBC saw cost‑savings in promoting Melvin, and whether the proposed pay cut was a meaningful factor.

Some reports suggested that Kotb’s decision was influenced by that, but nothing definitively confirms that she was forced out. Kotb’s narrative has been consistent: she is leaving because she wants to, not because she has no choice.

Melvin reflected on the surreal nature of this turning point in his own life. He said that he “never dreamed that any of this would happen,” and that stepping into this position felt both tremendous responsibility and a huge honor.

Outside of his own family milestones — getting married, having kids — this opportunity ranks among his most meaningful. It was, he said, “sweet” in part because it came under such extraordinary circumstances.

As Kotb left, Today with Jenna & Friends was rebranded (the fourth hour of Today) after her exit. Jenna Bush Hager’s segment expanded with guest hosts stepping in. NBC retained Kotb for other roles too—even after stepping down from the early morning co-anchor duties, she remained under contract in other capacities with NBC.

Public reaction has been mixed. Many viewers lauded Kotb for choosing to leave on her own terms, at a personal peak, prioritizing her family. Others speculated about behind‑the‑scenes tensions, pay cuts, or NBC’s motivations. Some expressed sadness that a beloved morning fixture was stepping away. Others welcomed Melvin’s elevation, seeing it as fresh energy.

In the end, while Craig Melvin initially thought Hoda Kotb’s exit might not have been fully voluntary — that she was being pushed — the publicly available evidence supports Kotb’s statements: that she chose to leave, driven by personal reasons and a desire to leave while still strong in her role.

Whether finance or internal pressure made her decision more likely, there is no clear proof that she was “forced out.” What is clear is that she left with dignity, and Melvin has taken on her co-anchor spot with her encouragement and support.