It's been nearly five months since Hoda Kotb's departure from TODAY after 17 years with the network, leaving behind her role as co-anchor of the morning news show, as well as co-anchor of the Fourth Hour.
In the time since, Jenna Bush Hager has pivoted the show to rebrand as TODAY with Jenna & Friends, featuring a rotating selection of co-anchors that has ranged from NBC family members like Savannah Guthrie to A-listers like Scarlett Johansson.
However, the shadow of Hoda looms large, especially given her recent reappearance on the show last week to announce the launch of her new lifestyle venture Joy 101, and Jenna confirmed that a rebrand is definitely in the works.
© Getty Images"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, although clarified that they're still "searching" for that perfect fit.
"To have somebody sit in that seat means a lot to all of us. So it will happen," she explained, although added that the team had "just been kind of living day by day and we don't have any developments yet," but promised news will come soon.
Jenna was also full of nothing but love when it came to her reunion with Hoda on the May 28 installment of the Fourth Hour. "It was so nice," she shared of once again hosting with her "best friend" and their tearful time back in their seats.
© NBC"Even if time goes by, there's a connection that is undeniable, and I felt that way being with her. I just felt like my nervous system kind of relaxed and it was so nice to be with her. There could have been no better reunion. It felt really great."
Jenna shared, however, that she was really happy for her friend and former colleague who is "in such an exciting place of her next chapter and she's so excited about it."
© Getty ImagesWhen Hoda returned to Studio 1A on May 28, she spoke about her company as well as her life since leaving TODAY, a lot of which has involved being more present for her two daughters, Haley and Hope.
She also shared publicly for the first time that Hope, 6, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2023, which necessitated Hoda taking time off the air to care for her while she'd been hospitalized.
© Getty Images"As anyone with a child who has Type 1 (knows), especially a little kid, you're constantly watching, you're constantly monitoring, you're constantly checking, which is what I did all the time when I was (at TODAY)," she told TODAY.com. "You're distracted."
Later, while speaking with her former colleagues Savannah and Craig Melvin, she explained that Hope's condition allowed her to reassess her "priority" rankings in life, leading to her pivotal decision to leave. "I can be here and sweating what's happening to Hope in the morning and in the night, or I can be there and feel relief that I can see."
