Jenna Bush Hager Admits She Was 'Nervous' to Host Without Hoda Kotb as She Reflects on Final Day of 'TODAY With Jenna & Friends'

Jenna Bush Hager wasn’t always confident in her solo hosting gig.

As she celebrated the final day of TODAY With Jenna & Friends on Friday, January 9, the talk show host, 44, revealed that she was “nervous” going off on her own without Hoda Kotb.

TODAY With Jenna & Friends launched in January 2025 after five years of TODAY With Hoda & Jenna on air. The new show, TODAY With Jenna & Sheinelle, premieres on January 12.

“I don’t even know how to feel, but it’s been an incredible year. I thought back to last year when Hoda was about to leave, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, how am I going to do this?’” Bush Hager recalled. “I did it for almost a year. I’ve had 60 co-hosts, many of them were just popping up. I was a little nervous. Do things that scare you.”

Guest co-host Matt Rogers asked if it was daunting when she found out she was going to be launching her own show.

“I feel great. Even after week one, I was like, ‘Wait, this is really fun,’” she expressed. “We had a really fun year.”

Rogers praised Bush Hager for being able to adjust to the “really difficult” task of being “super natural” with all her guests.

“You are steering the ship. That’s hard, and you nailed it, and you did it, and you’re a legend….” the podcast host credited his friend. “[New co-host Sheinelle Jones] came into the makeup room today when we were having our meeting, and we had the biggest hug, and I’m so excited. She’s such a great vibe. I’m excited to watch you guys just jam every day, and I’m excited to watch the show every day…it’ll just be fun to see a new show.”

Jones was announced as Bush Hager’s permanent co-host on December 9, 2025.

“We have got a very special show today,” the mom-of-three began, teary-eyed, during TODAY With Jenna & Friends. “Over the last year, I have had the privilege of co-hosting this show with 60 incredible friends…I didn’t think I was going to cry before I even started…who all opened up to me, who inspired me. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve made some incredible friends, and I’ve learned so much about myself. And you, the audience, have been with me the entire time, so thank you so much.”

She continued, “Today, I am so thrilled to announce I have found my forever friend, and we are going to start a brand-new journey in January. I couldn’t be more excited to share this person with you all. You all know her. She is an extraordinary broadcaster, but more importantly, she exemplifies exactly what this show is all about.”

Jones — whose husband passed away from brain cancer in May 2025 — is thrilled to be making her next career move alongside Bush Hager.

“When I came back from leave [after my husband’s death], I talked about fighting for my joy. This is what it looks like. It feels divine,” she said.