ENTERTAINMENTHoda Kotb Reveals Who Should Replace Her on 'Today' When She Leaves Next Year
Hoda Kotb announced in September that she'll be leaving 'Today' sometime in early 2025 after years with the show.
Whoever takes over Hoda Kotb's seat on Today has big shoes to fill, but the TV star believes her replacement just needs one thing in particular to succeed.
"The person who I want is someone who has beautiful chemistry with Jenna [Bush Hager]," she revealed when asked about the situation at her Friday, October 25, Making Space wellness event in Texas.
Hoda Kotb announced in September that she'll be leaving 'Today' in early 2025.
"That's all I want. Because it's never about either anchor, it's about what's between. So bring the chemistry," the mom-of-two, 60, emphasized. "I don't care if it's her best friend, I don't care if it's someone she's worked with, if it's some celeb, when she gets in sync, that's it. If she has chemistry, it will be beautiful."
Kotb said her replacement on 'Today' needs to have good chemistry with costar Jenna Bush Hager.
The author admitted she doesn't have much of a say when it comes to who will take her seat, but she encouraged Hager, 42, to speak up on how she feels about her new costar.
"I said Jenna, 'Feel who you want. Feel what feels right for you,'" Kotb shared. "She'll know, because the only way it's going to work is if they got a vibe or not. Just the fun party vibe. It can't be forced."
She also gave some words of wisdom to her successor, who will have more than one costar.
"Look, you get to sit next to Savannah Guthrie," Kotb noted. "Here's what you're going to do: You're going to ride sidecar and say 'thank you very much,' OK?"
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The broadcaster will continue to work with NBC after departing from 'Today.'
As OK! reported, Kotb announced in September that she would be leaving the series sometime in early 2025.
"I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new," she explained on the show, adding that she wants to have more free time to be with her daughters, Haley and Hope, whom she co-parents with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.
"Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have," Kotb said. "I feel like we only have a finite amount of time. And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world."
The journalist had been on the show since 2007 and had worked with NBC for years before that. In her announcement, she revealed she'll continue to work for the network but didn't reveal in what capacity.
Kotb co-parents her two daughters with ex-fiancé Joel Schifmann.
One insider claimed Kotb's decision also stemmed from salary issues, claiming she was asked to take a pay cut from her usual $20 million per year.
"This is the age of the great resetting of TV news contracts," the insider told a news outlet. "Everyone is getting their pay cut, or their jobs eliminated."
E! News spoke with Kotb about who could replace her on Today.
