TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Craig Melvin will take over for Hoda Kotb as co-anchor of ‘TODAY’ after Kotb announced in September she was leaving the show after nearly two decades.

Melvin, who currently co-hosts the third hour of ‘TODAY,’ announced his new role on the show Thursday. Kotb said he was “literally made for this job.”

“You have all the things this job needs,” Kotb said. “You are the right person for it.”

Melvin said he was “beyond excited and grateful” to be selected as co-anchor.

Kotb will step down as co-anchor on January 10. She has co-anchored ‘TODAY’ since 2018, when she joined Savannah Guthrie to become the first all-woman anchor team.

Guthrie described Melvin as “talented, wonderful, hard-working, most-worthy” of taking over for for departing co-anchor.

“I’ve enjoyed just a lifetime of blessings and this is the latest in a long line of blessings,” Melvin said.