Let's face it, folks — this has been a monumental week for Jenna Bush Hager. She’s stepping into some pretty big shoes as the replacement for TV legend Kathie Lee Gifford on the fourth hour of the Today show. But let’s be real, taking over for someone as iconic as Kathie Lee is no small feat. It's going to be a challenge, but Jenna is ready to bring her own unique flair to the table.
As a source exclusively told Closer Weekly in a recent interview, "Jenna Bush Hager has some enormous shoes to fill in replacing Kathie Lee. Jenna looks up to Kathie, and Kathie has graciously given her blessing for this transition. Kathie wants the show to continue thriving, and she’s keeping her fingers crossed that Jenna and Hoda will develop the same incredible chemistry they had during their time together." It's clear that Kathie Lee is all about supporting her successor, and she knows the show is in good hands.
Kathie Lee and Hoda: A Partnership Like No Other
Back in 2008, Kathie Lee, who was 65 at the time, joined Hoda Kotb on the fourth hour of Today, and it was love at first sight. The two quickly became the dynamic duo that we all know and adore. Their signature move of sipping wine early in the morning while commenting on the news became their trademark. Now, with Kathie Lee moving on, Jenna Bush Hager, 37, is ready to step up and make her mark. Hoda, 54, formed such a strong bond with Kathie Lee that she credits much of her personal and professional success to their partnership.
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Hoda Reflects on Her Time with Kathie Lee
On The Tonight Show, Hoda, a former Dateline NBC correspondent, shared her heartfelt thoughts about her time with Kathie Lee. "It's funny, I met Kathie Lee, and I got to sit next to a television legend — something that doesn’t happen often in a lifetime," Hoda reminisced. "She really is a legend. And we’ve been together for 11 years. The show is a blast." She continued, "I just said to Kath the other day, 'You know what’s funny?' I said, I feel like every good thing in my life happened after we met. I got to go speak at some event — because I worked with Kath, they asked me to speak — and I happened to meet my boyfriend, Joel Schiffman, there, who I’m with today."
Hoda added, "Because I met my boyfriend, we adopted my daughter, Haley. I was just saying, it’s bizarre to think that one thing happens and it sets off a domino effect. And I said to Kath, I feel like that happened with me. I got to live all these cool dreams after meeting her. It’s pretty cool." It's clear that Hoda values her time with Kathie Lee and cherishes the impact their friendship has had on her life.
