Massive changes are happening to morning news programs across many television networks. A popular host of the Today Show posted a heartfelt goodbye to fans, sparking concern that they’re leaving the morning show. Keep reading to find out what’s going on amid major shakeups in television.
Today Host Says Emotional Goodbye
NBC’s Today Show has been around since 1952! The morning news program has seen a lot of anchors come and go over the last 73 years. The show expanded to four hours of news and entertainment reporting. Jenna Bush Hager hosts the fourth hour, Jenna & Friends, along with guest hosts as the show searches for the right person to take over from Hoda Kotb.
Craig Melvin hosts the morning show’s first two hours alongside Savannah Guthrie. Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer, and Sheinelle Jones join Craig Melvin for the third hour before Jenna Bush Hager takes over.
The Today Show directly competes with ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS Mornings. CBS recently came under new owners amid a merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. The merger resulted in mass layoffs, including at the morning news program. CBS Mornings host Gayle King is reportedly out after her contract ends next year.
Big changes are happening at NBCUniversal, too. The company is splitting NBC News and MSNBC divisions into two. Craig Melvin took to Instagram to share a heartfelt goodbye, causing panic that he’s leaving the Today Show.
In a post earlier this week, the morning host shared photos from his various jobs at the anchor desk in the Manhattan, New York, studio. “Long before @todayshow, I started my journey at 30 Rock hosting a show on @msnbc, and spent a decade making unforgettable memories with amazing colleagues,” he wrote in the caption.
He continued, “I’m so grateful for the work we did together and will miss those familiar faces. Will always be proud of our work-elections, inaugurations, too many other news events to list, a global pandemic, and a total eclipse.”
“Thanks for the memories, and cheers to the next chapter,” Craig Melvin added. What “next chapter”?
He Clarifies His Status On Morning Show
Craig Melvin’s post sounded a lot like goodbye to the Today Show. But after concern from fans, he quickly clarified that he wasn’t leaving. Rather, he was saying a heartfelt goodbye to his co-workers at MSNBC. The channel has been rebranded as MS NOW, effective on November 15.
Fans were so concerned about Craig Melvin leaving the Today Show, that the beloved anchor had to issue a clarification in the comments.
“Not leaving the today show. Was just saying goodbye to my MSNBC colleagues,” he wrote.
His social media followers yelled at him for giving them a scare. One fan wrote, “At first glance, this gave me a heart attack!” Another added, “Don’t scare us like that again!!”
With all the morning news shakeups, it’s not surprising that fans were worried. However, Craig Melvin made it clear that he’s staying put on the Today Show, at least for now.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
