Craig Melvin began his “Today” show run as official co-anchor on Monday morning and, to celebrate, his predecessor left him a little surprise message.
After 17 years co-anchoring the show, Hoda Kotb said goodbye to “Today” on Friday, with Melvin taking over her spot. To kick off the show, his colleagues celebrated the promotion, looking back on special moments through his NBC career so far.
But, as the show got well underway, anchor Savannah Guthrie informed Melvin that “there is someone who wanted to send you a message on this big day,” tearing up herself.
At that, a video from Kotb started playing, telling Melvin, “Craigor! It’s your first day, OK? How does it feel? First of all, I’m so proud of you. And I wanted to let you know just how proud of you I am, because, first of all, you’re gonna be fantastic.”
Kotb then noted that, instead of just telling him in the video, she decided to write it all down, leaving a secret letter in a secret location that only Guthrie knew about. And indeed, Guthrie pulled out a massive envelope, encouraging Melvin to read it aloud.
“I’m moving forward, so reach back your hand,” Melvin read aloud, getting emotional and realizing immediately that the letter was actually a poem. “Grab the baton, and your world will expand. The adventures are endless, the people so dear. Great memories await, year after year.”
“Day One! You are ready, surrounded by love. Your team is the kind you can only dream of. Savannah, Al, Carson 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, a fabulous run! Let’s go nuts.”
As Guthrie marveled at Kotb being a poet, Jenna Bush Hager quickly chimed in, reminding her “we’ve read her children’s book.”
You can watch the full segment from “Today” in the video, above.
