The Real Reason Craig Melvin Is Missing from Today After Reports He’s Scared He’ll Be ‘Elbowed Out’ if Hoda Kotb ‘Wants Her Job Back’
There’s always been interest in who is on the Today show each day. The fact that Savannah Guthrie had to miss significant time after her mom, Nancy, disappeared only heightened people’s interest in the show’s hosts. But the general public has always paid attention.
Which is why everyone noticed the absence of Craig Melvin on April 13. But where is Melvin? Will he be missing for long? Or is he leaving the show after Hoda Kotb’s return?
Related: Who are Savannah Guthrie’s siblings?
Where’s Craig Melvin on Today & Is He Leaving Amid Hoda Kotb’s Return?
The answer is actually fairly simple. On April 9, Melvin and co-host Savannah Guthrie announced that Melvin would be taking a short break beginning on April 13. Guthrie called it a “well-deserved” break after “holding it down here.”
“You’ve been holding it down here for a long time,” Guthrie said to Melvin. “So you’re gonna have a spring break. And Monday we’re gonna try a new host here.”
And Melvin even promised he would not be watching during his “vacation,” to which Guthrie said, “You’re not supposed to watch on your vacation.” Melvin gave no details about where exactly he’d be vacationing.
The Today show has had a rotating group of hosts in the past few months, due to Guthrie’s absence. Hoda Kotb, Sheinelle Jones, and Laura Jarrett all filled in for Guthrie during her absence. And with Melvin gone for a bit, Kotb is filling in for him, reuniting with Guthrie once again. Melvin is expected to return on April 20.
Hollywood insider Rob Shuter suggested Melvin’s absence wasn’t coming at a good time for the host. “This is not the moment you want to leave your seat,” one insider told Shuter. “All eyes are on the ratings right now.”
“If the numbers go up while he’s gone? That’s not just awkward — it’s dangerous,” the source added. “A big problem.”
Melvin’s absence was a programmed vacation, but Shuter’s sources implied it’s now looking like a bad idea. “It felt like a gamble at the time,” the insider said. “Now? It’s starting to look like a very foolish one.”
Particularly because of Kotb’s presence. “Craig is a genuinely nice guy — but he doesn’t really play the game,” a source told Shuter. “Hoda? She’s the opposite. All game… and not so nice.” And if she wants back in, sources believe it will happen. “If Hoda decides she wants her old job back, Craig won’t stand a chance,” the insider added. “He’ll be elbowed out.”
Kotb left the Today show of her own accord, though she has filled in during the time Guthrie was out and was the one who conducted the interview with Guthrie about her mother’s disappearance.
The suggestion is we might even see Melvin come back before he’s expected to. “He’s already second-guessing the decision,” one source revealed to the gossip columnist. “Something just feels off. Don’t be surprised if he starts thinking about cutting the trip short.”
