Key Points
-
Today show host Craig Melvin returned to the air Friday, a day after an intruder allegedly confronted him in the studio and was taken into custody.
-
Melvin addressed the incident on the air, telling viewers that he is “safe and sound.”
-
NBC News said it was reviewing safety protocols in the wake of the incident.
Craig Melvin is reporting for duty.
The Today show cohost returned to the air Friday as promised, just one day after an intruder allegedly confronted him in the studio and was taken into custody.
“I want to take a quick moment to address an incident that happened yesterday. You may have heard that unfortunately an intruder made his way into an unauthorized area here at Studio 1A,” Melvin said. “Thankfully he was apprehended quickly. He was placed under arrest. We are cooperating fully with NYPD as they investigate the matter, and we are just very happy that everyone is safe.”
Laura Jarrett, who was filling in for Savannah Guthrie, told him, “We want to make sure that you’re safe.”
“Safe and sound,” Melvin replied.
News of the Todayintrusion broke Thursday morning. A spokesperson for the New York Police Department told Entertainment Weekly that the incident was reported at approximately 9:19 a.m. ET, during the third hour of the daily news program, which is cohosted by Melvin, Al Roker, and Dylan Dreyer.
The NYPD announced shortly thereafter that the individual had been taken into custody. Aime home of Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza by slipping past security. He allegedly asked for Roker before yelling racial slurs at Melvin
Andrew Truelove, 41, was charged with burglary as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime, criminal trespass as a hate crime, and harassment, police said.
NBC explained in a statement shared with EW that “an individual entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A. The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security. The individual was detained and taken into custody by law enforcement without further incident. There was no altercation, and no one was injured.”
The network later explained that in the wake of the dustup, NBC and Todaywill be “reviewing the incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at and visits our studios.”
A security guard was reportedly fired on Thursday following the incident.
EW has reached out to representatives for Melvin for comment.
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
Melvin spoke out about the incident in the early evening on Thursday.
“Hey everyone. I’ve heard from so many of you over the last few hours. I’m doing just fine,” he shared in a statement posted to Instagram. “Thanks for reaching out. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning on [Today].”
Todayhas been co-anchored by Guthrie since 2012. Melvin previously worked for NBC-affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia, S.C., WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., and MSNBC, before joining NBC News in 2011.
From there, he ascended to a news anchor spot on Today, becoming a cohost of the third hour in 2018 before being made a permanent host in 2019. He also co-anchors the first and second hours with Guthrie and occasionally fills in as an anchor on NBC Nightly News.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
