Overview

• Hoda Kotb privately urged Jenna Bush Hager not to sign a new Today contract to protect her from running the fourth hour alone.
• Bush Hager said she had no inkling of Kotb’s departure until their final conversation confirmed the host’s plans to leave in January.
• Since Kotb’s exit, Bush Hager has co-hosted Today’s fourth hour with 50 different celebrities, likening the rotating lineup to “dating.”
• Bush Hager expects NBC to appoint a permanent cohost eventually but confirmed that no official selection has been made.
• Kotb is focusing on expanding her Joy101 wellness venture and makes occasional NBC appearances for special projects.