Hoda Kotb reveals who she wants to replace her on ‘Today’
Hoda Kotb has revealed who she hopes will take her place on “Today” when she departs the show early next year.
While she mentioned to E! News on Friday that she doesn’t have a say in selecting her successor, she expressed that the ideal candidate should have “beautiful chemistry” with Jenna Bush Hager.
“That’s all I want,” she stated. “It’s never about either anchor, it’s about what’s between. So bring the chemistry.”
“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, 60, also shared the advice she gave to Hager, 42, regarding the selection process for the host of “Today” show’s fourth-hour program with her.
“I said Jenna, ‘Feel who you want. Feel what feels right for you,’” she recalled.
“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.”
In addition, Kotb jokingly shared her thoughts with E! News on what qualities contribute to success in co-anchoring “Today” alongside Savannah Guthrie.
“Look, you get to sit next to Savannah Guthrie … here’s what you’re going to do: You’re going to ride sidecar and say ‘Thank you very much,’ OK?” she laughed.
Guthrie, 52, mentioned that she learned about her longtime friend and colleague’s decision to leave “Today” just days before it was publicly announced on Sept. 26.
Kotb explained that she decided to step down from her role as a lead anchor because it felt like the right time to “kind of move on.”
While she didn’t reveal her plans for after her departure, she confirmed that she will remain within the NBC family.
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