Al Roker held down the fort on Today when his costars were absent from the program. On Friday, December 6, the meteorologist was joined by two fill in cohosts as Dylan Dreyer, Sheinelle Jones and Craig Melvin were all missing from the studio during the show’s third hour.
“This is a very special Friyay,” Al, 70, said during the broadcast, as Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett joined him at the news desk. Typically, fans of the show are used to seeing Peter, 48, and Laura, 41, on Saturday Today, however, they sometimes fill in as needed on the weekday program when the usual hosts are out.
“I am joined by Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett, from our friends from Saturday Today,” Al said. “We appreciate you guys ending our week with us. I think this is the first time we’ve all three done this.”
“It is!” Laura confirmed, to which Peter said, “Saturday morning breakfast sandwich right here, we just put you in the middle it’s all good.”
“The weekend started early,” Laura went on to say.
So where were Dylan, 43, Sheinelle, 46, and Craig, 45, during Friday’s broadcast? Al said that Dylan and Sheinelle were both off for the day. Craig traveled to Paris on assignment and appeared virtually in the show’s early morning hours. He traveled abroad to give viewers a look inside the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral after it caught on fire.
“After years of restoration following a tragic fire, the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to open its doors Saturday,” he captioned a video from his segment on Instagram on Friday morning. “Parisians and visitors are filled with excitement as the reopening marks more than just the revival of a landmark — it’s a powerful symbol of the heart of the city.”
In another post shared to his Instagram page, Craig said that “the work done to rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral is remarkable.” Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie were both in studio at the top of the hour in their usual spots.
Craig will be replacing Hoda as Savannah’s coanchor when the longtime broadcaster leaves the talk show in January.
“Nobody’s questioning whether he’s worth it, he’s a very talented guy who’s worked very hard for this opportunity,” an insider previously told Closer of Craig’s new gig on Today. “The entire team is on board with him taking on this role, but of course, the pressure is really on because he’s got huge shoes to fill.”
Craig has already proven to be a worthy replacement, with years of experience as an NBC anchor and countless celebrity interviews under his belt. His wife, Lindsay Czarniak, shared a supportive message for him after it was announced that he would be promoted on the show.
“I’m proud because the man so many Americans ‘wake up with’ in the mornings truly is the same person we see at home. Warm, caring, curious, smart, funny, snacking on all the food being prepared,” Lindsay, 47, wrote on Instagram on November 14. “I know this job is equal parts rewarding and demanding, but you always put your best foot forward even when you’re tired. Coaching hoops, reading books, tackling kids during tickle wars … just hanging.
“I’m excited for America to get to ‘hang’ with you more each morning and to see how your God given gifts can continue to help others,” she added.
Craig will officially be taking over Hoda’s position on the early morning hours of Today on January 13.
“Everyone seems to be confident that he’s up for the challenge and he and Savannah have a natural chemistry, if they start to tune out his job will be on the line, there’s just no getting around that,” the insider told Closer. “He’s definitely going to be in the hot seat for a while.”
