Hoda Kotb could have stepped away from her At the moment present duties, however her friendship with Jenna Bush Hager stays stronger than ever.
On Tuesday, March 11, Kotb, 60, shocked her former costar backstage forward of the present’s morning assembly. Kotb who hosted At the moment‘s fourth hour with Bush Hager, 43, for 5 years earlier than saying goodbye on Friday, Jan. 10.
The clip, shared on the Instagram and TikTok accounts for the newly renamed At the moment with Jenna & Mates, begins with Kotb strolling right into a backstage make-up and dressing room earlier than greeting a employees member.
“What is going on?! What is going on?! I FaceTimed you in the present day,” Bush Hager may very well be heard saying as she received up from her chair.
After the 2 share a candy hug, Kotb tells her, “I do know. I needed to are available in for a second,” and proceeds to inform Dwyane Wade, Bush Hager’s present visitor co-host, “You are crushing it! You are so good.”
The clip ends with Kotb greeting everybody else within the room.
Lloyd Bishop/NBC by way of Getty
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“We had the most effective shock in our briefing assembly this morning!! @hodakotb dropped in to point out her love and help for @jennabhager and @dwyanewade 🫶 #JennaandFriends,” the clip’s caption reads.
Kotb introduced in September 2024 that she can be departing the At the moment present after 17 years. Throughout her time on air, she served because the co-anchor of At the moment alongside Savannah Guthrie and co-hosted the present’s fourth hour with Bush Hager.
Nathan Congleton/NBC
Craig Melvin took over Kotb’s seat alongside Guthrie, 53, on Monday, Jan. 13. For the fourth hour of At the moment, the newly revamped At the moment with Jenna & Mates sees Bush Hager welcoming a slew of movie star co-hosts, together with Scarlett Johansson, Taraji P. Henson, Eva Longoria and Keke Palmer.
Whereas a everlasting co-host has but to be introduced, followers, together with Kotb, are excited to know who it will likely be.
“I am dying to seek out out who it is going to be,” Kotb informed PEOPLE on the inaugural Runway for Recovery style present in NYC in February.
Hoda Kotb/Instagram
“I have been speaking with Jenna about it. I maintain saying, ‘Who’s going to be our good friend ceaselessly?’ ” she added.
The previous speak present host, who retired to spend extra time together with her daughters, Haley Pleasure, 9, and Hope Catherine, 5, stated that her time away from the present has given her a greater take a look at Bush Hager’s “mega expertise.”
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“It was all the time clear to me, but it surely’s even clearer as a result of now I am watching her have blind dates each week with new co-hosts, and the widespread thread is how superior she is,” stated Kotb. “She’s unbelievable. So whoever she chooses goes to be nice together with her.”