Hoda Kotb Shares Requirement for Jenna Bush Hager’s New Cohost

In fact, while Jan. 13 marked the first Monday of Hoda’s next step—and all the sleeping in and time with her kids Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, that comes with it—she noted she’d be turning her TV on come 10 a.m. to see Jenna in action. 

And right now, the fourth hour—currently named Jenna & Friends—sees the author hosting alongside Scarlett Johansson, who is temporarily filling in for Hoda as they land on a permanent replacement.

“I love Jenna so deeply and dearly, and I want to witness her success, because she’s going to kill it,” Hoda said. “I want to watch her. I hate to say it’s like watching your kid, but it kind of is. It’s like going to the school play. Like I’ll be mouthing the words, ‘Hi everybody, I’m Jenna.’ But I want her to be as wildly successful as she already is.”

She continued, “So, I will watch her because I just want to watch her step into her moment. Like step in both feet. And I want to bear witness to it because I think it’s going to be magic. So, 10 to 11 I’m gonna block off.”