Hoda Kotb has opinions on Jenna Bush Hager’s options for co-host. The former TODAY show host recently sat down with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live and gave her candid take on who might get the job.
“The contenders are Savannah [Guthrie],” Hoda said when asked who she thinks the new co-host will be. “Justin Sylvester is amazing. Scarlett Johansson crushed it.”
Ever since Hoda left Hoda & Jenna in January of this year, Jenna has filled her seat with rotating guests. Everyone from Keke Palmer to Eva Longoria. Fans have been eagerly awaiting news of who might officially step into the role. Jenna even poked fun at the process on TikTok, comparing it to dating, noting that she is waiting to find the right person.
“We definitely want somebody permanent at some point just because that’s our show, and I think the TODAY show is such a family,” she said to PEOPLE at the Read with Jenna book festival in Nashville.
Viewers noticed particularly good chemistry with both Scarlett and Justin. Scarlett, who is best known for her role as Black Widow and as the founder of her beauty brand The Outset, co-hosted the show for an entire week. “She said [hosting] was her favorite job,” Hoda shared.
“I mean… she’s not going to do it every day,” Andy said, pointing out Scarlett’s already busy schedule as an actress and mom.
© Getty ImagesScarlett called the experience “a fantasy job” and compared it to hosting Saturday Night Live.
“The live element of it is really fun,” she said.
Justin, best known for his work on E! News and Daily Pop, also hit it off with Jenna, especially after their big night out at Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour.
Hoda also mentioned Matt Rogers, co-host of Las Culturistas with Bowen Yang, as a potential pick. And she praised TODAY’s own Sheinelle Jones, who is taking time off after the tragic death of her husband Uche Ojeh.
© Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty IIn the six months since leaving the show, Hoda enjoys spending quality time with her daughters, Haley, 8, and Hope, 6. She recently announced that Hope was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes.
“As anyone with a child who has Type 1 (knows), you’re constantly watching, you’re constantly monitoring, you’re constantly checking,” she explained, adding that the diagnosis brought a new perspective to her life.
© Getty ImagesDespite stepping back from the anchor desk, Hoda’s affection for her former co-host shines through.
“Anybody would be so lucky,” she said of working with Jenna.
As Jenna continues her search for the perfect co-host, Hoda’s endorsement of Scarlett, Justin, and others offers a glimpse into the camaraderie behind the scenes. And, it’s a nice reminder of just how much Hoda cares for her friend Jenna.
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