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28 Feb 2026 2:57
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Hoda Kotb just wants her 'Today' replacement to be themselves

    The 60-year-old journalist had anchored the NBC morning programme alongside Jenna Bush Hager since 2018 when she stepped down on Friday (10.01.25) and as a series of guests hosts take her place for now, she has revealed that she just wants whoever gets the full-time role to avoid "forcing" anything while on air.


    She told E! News: "I would say to that person that they should be 100 percent themselves. They should not try and force or do anything other than be authentically, 1,000 percent who they are. If they want it so deep down, it will come.

    "And what's going to work is not that one person's super talented and another person is super talented-Jenna and whomever. Instead, it's whatever that space between is. Once you get magic, you know it from day one. You're like, 'That's it. It's there.' And from that day forward, it's off and running."

    The TV star did warn that it is "hard work" because the job requires being authentic all the days that are spent on air but reassured the "lucky person" that they will be in for a once-in-lifetime experience.

    She said: "Look, it's hard work because you got to be yourself on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday.

    "It's not like, 'I'll be funny today, but I'm in a bad mood today.' You just got to bring it. Maybe you're not having the best day. So what? It's not about you today.

    ", I think all of those things will come together. Whoever that lucky person is, it's the job of a lifetime. It really is. There's nothing better than that job. Nothing."

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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     Today's News

    Law and Order:
    A 26 year old will face court after allegedly trying to steal a necklace worth more than 70 thousand dollars from Auckland's CBD 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Drew Barrymore travels down "memory lane" when looking at pictures of herself from her 1990s heyday 21:51

    Entertainment:
    Cruz Beckham's 21st birthday celebrations have gone on for a week 21:21

    Rugby:
    Fa'alogo Tana Umaga is reminding his players the only thing they can control is their own effort 21:17

    Entertainment:
    The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have arrived at the World Health Organisation's country office in Amman 20:51

    Entertainment:
    Jameela Jamil has called out women at the BAFTAs for being "scarily thin" 20:21

    Entertainment:
    Sinitta has described her marriage to Andy Willner as a "revenge move" aimed at Simon Cowell 19:51

    Entertainment:
    Jennifer Garner has spoken candidly about the realities of co-parenting her three children with her former husband 19:21

    Soccer:
    A huge 8-nil win over Samoa for the Football Ferns in their Fifa World Cup qualifier in Honiara 18:57

    Politics:
    An economist says benefit sanctions aren't working 18:57


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