Craig Melvin is reportedly unhappy with his role on the third hour of NBC's "Today" show, expressing frustration over his workload and pay compared to co-host Savannah Guthrie. Sources told the Daily Mail that Melvin feels he is working longer hours than Guthrie, particularly by staying on for the 9 a.m. segment after she leaves, while earning less money.
Melvin, who became a co-anchor for the third hour alongside Guthrie in early 2025, has allegedly conveyed to colleagues that he no longer wishes to host a segment he believes is not taken seriously within the network. "The third hour is a joke," a well-placed source told the Daily Mail. "Everybody inside the building knows it. They laugh about it."
Insiders suggest that by the time Melvin takes the anchor chair for the 9 a.m. hour, the major interviews have concluded, and audience engagement has diminished. "Let's be honest, the third hour is the leftovers," another source said. "The stars have done their morning. The important interviews are over. The audience has moved on. Craig is being asked to keep the party going after everyone else has gone home."
The core of Melvin's reported discontent centers on what he perceives as unequal treatment from NBC. Despite being presented as equals and partners, sources claim Melvin's schedule and paycheck do not reflect this parity. "Craig and Savannah are supposed to be equals. They're partners, co-hosts and two of the faces of Today," an insider stated. "So Craig looks at the schedule and thinks, 'Why am I the one who has to stay?'"
Sources indicate that Melvin's desire is not to take over Guthrie's role but to achieve equal respect through his schedule and compensation. "He wants NBC to treat him like the equal they say he is," the insider added. "Craig is doing more work and making less money than Savannah. That makes the third hour even harder to swallow."
Melvin reportedly believes his career trajectory has led him beyond his current role in the third hour, which he feels is viewed as less significant than earlier segments of the show. "He doesn't think the third hour is where his career should be," a source said. "He has worked too hard to become a major television personality to be treated like the guy who stays behind after the real show is finished."
The situation has reportedly led Melvin to consider leaving the third hour entirely, with sources indicating he is "done pretending this is some great opportunity" and "wants out."
This reported frustration comes after a previous incident in March when Melvin was reportedly passed over for an interview with Guthrie about her mother, Nancy, who had been kidnapped from her Arizona home. Hoda Kotb conducted that interview instead.
Melvin joined "Today" in 2018 and moved to the co-anchor chair for the third hour in early 2025. NBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Mail.