NEWSHoda Kotb Shakes Off Kelly Rowland's Dressing Room Debacle, Praises Rita Ora for Filling in Last Minute
Feb. 20 2024, Published 12:28 p.m. ET
Though some have called out Kelly Rowland for her diva behavior after she apparently wasn't happy with the Today show's dressing rooms, Hoda Kotb is not letting the drama get to her.
“I just want to say this: I have great love and admiration for Kelly Rowland. I adore her, and I want her to come back on our show, and I want her to host again,” Kotb said on Today with Hoda & Jenna on Tuesday, February 20.
Kelly Rowland apparently didn't like the dressing rooms at the 'Today' show.
Kotb's co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, who was off on Thursday, February 15 when the singer, 43, was set to fill in, also didn't have a bad thing to say, admitting she's "welcome anytime."
“She’s the best," she admitted.
“Of course she is, of course she is! She can share my dressing room. We’ll be in it together!” the 59-year-old quipped. “But anyway, I just want to say we love her. We’ve loved her on this show for many, many years."
Hoda Kotb praised Rita Ora for filling in.
After Rowland apparently walked off set, Rita Ora was fortunately able to fill in at the last minute.
“On another note, too, we just wanna give a shout-out to Rita Ora, who kind of came in at the last second and really did a phenomenal job, so we have great women on this show,” Kotb shared before saying Hager cannot be out ever again.
“I was gonna say, you’re not allowed. That’s your last day off for months and months and months,” Kotb joked.
As OK! previously reported, the Destiny's Child alum had a fit when she looked at her accommodations last week.
“Kelly and her team were not happy. They did not like the dressing room, so they decided to pull her off the show, leaving [Kotb] without a guest host for the 10 a.m. hour,” a source told Page Six.
Hoda Kotb was apparently left scrambling to find a replacement co-host.
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Rowland's behavior left Today show staffers confused since she's "beloved" at the TV show. "She was getting the full hour, and Hoda’s the biggest hype woman on the planet! It made no sense,” a source said. “[The show] basically offered up as much as possible, but they weren’t happy with it, so they walked and they left."
The dressing rooms at Today are practically “glorified closets,” one source noted.
“They’re not nice. It’s the oldest building. There are major space limitations, [it’s] not glamorous. It’s not fresh flowers, and candles and gourmet food. It’s basically [a] white box,” they continued.
Hoda Kotb praised Rita Ora on the Tuesday, February 20, show.
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When Ora and Kotb chatted, the former was shocked at how everything turned out.
“You are just a lovely human being so I just want to say: Welcome to the co-host chair, how does it feel?” Kotb asked Ora.
She replied, “Oh, it feels so warm! I feel so comfortable already… Well, you know, being from across the pond this is like everything we watch on TV so I’m so happy. Hello America! It’s me, Rita.”
“I didn’t even know this was happening,” Ora admitted. “Everyone watching, this has just been so much fun. They asked us backstage and I’m just like, ‘I love Hoda! Here we are, and now I’m with you for a whole hour!'”
