There wasn't a dry eye in Studio 1A on Friday as host Hoda Kotb bid farewell to her Today Show family. After a nearly three-decade career at NBC News, Hoda decided to hang up her chic blazers to forge a career in wellness and focus on raising her two daughters, Hope and Haley.
© NBCHoda's exit will be most notably missed by her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. The duo have hosted the show together since 2018 following Matt Lauer's dramatic exit. Upon the news that Hoda would be replacing Matt on the show, Savannah said at the time: "All I know was in that moment, it felt like I could drown if Hoda hadn't reached down and grabbed my hand.
"I will always say she saved the show full stop.
"And holding hands with her and being like, 'We're going to do this together', meant everything to me. I don't think I had the confidence by myself."
© InstagramSavannah ensured her beloved co-star had the most iconic send-off as the pair recreated their first co-anchor photos together. Savannah took to Instagram to share the nostalgic snaps, which depicted the pair posing together back in 2018.
In the old photo, the pair can be seen pointing at one another and smiling. Savannah donned a blue dress adorned with buttoned accents on the waist, while Hoda wore a sleeveless hot pink dress. Reminiscent of their sweet photograph, the pair decided to recreate the picture in 2025 in tribute to Hoda's departure.
© InstagramIn the recent snap, Savannah donned a black dress that featured cutouts on the chest along with elegant bow details. The host's hair color was notably different as she now sports lighter blonde locks compared to her brunette tresses back in 2018. Hoda opted for her classic white tailored blazer and looked strikingly similar despite the seven-year gap.
The post was captioned: "First day together vs. last day together. On Hoda’s last day, her and Savannah recreated the first photos they took together as TODAY co-anchors on January 2, 2018."
© InstagramThe duo also recreated a photograph from the same day, which was taken from behind and depicted the hosts sitting at their news desk with the cameras in the background.
The TV duo opened up about their partnership on and off air exclusively to HELLOL! back in 2022. When asked what they were most thankful for that year and how they feel about working alongside each other on Today, the pair's sweet response captured everyone's hearts.
Savannah gushed over Hoda: "We feel grateful every single day, I know we feel grateful for this partnership and getting to come and do a job that is literally fun and to get to do it with a good friend who you trust so much and to just hold hands and get to do this together every morning - I never get over that. I still can't believe it came true. And of course I'm thankful for my family. Hoda and I talk about it all the time, we became moms later in life so for that reason we really do appreciate our little families that we've made and for me Thanksgiving is about creating those memories with them in the spirit of gratitude and feeling thankful."
Meanwhile, Hoda expressed how working with Savannah was her "dream job". She said: "In life, I live by this mantra - 'It gets greater, later,' - and all the best things in my life have happened since I turned 50. I am working with Savannah which is a job that you can only dream of having."
