“Why Did Hoda Kotb Sneak Backstage at Today—And Leave Jenna Speechless After Months Away?”
New York, NY – Hoda Kotb, 60, turned a routine Tuesday into a heart-pounding surprise on March 31, 2025, crashing the Today with Jenna & Friends set at NBC Studios. Two months after her tearful January exit from Today—where she co-hosted the fourth hour with Jenna Bush Hager, 43, for five years—Kotb slipped backstage, sparking gasps and grins. “What is happening?! What is happening?!” Hager yelped, leaping from her makeup chair to hug her old pal. The reunion, caught on Instagram and TikTok, wasn’t just a visit—it was a jolt of joy proving their bond’s unbreakable.
The video kicks off with Kotb greeting crew, her smile wide, before Hager spots her. “I FaceTimed you today!” Hager blurted, wrapping Kotb in a bear hug. “I had to come in for a second,” Kotb replied, then pivoted to Dwyane Wade, 43, the week’s guest co-host. “You’re crushing it—so good!” she told the NBA star, recently cancer-free. Fans flooded comments: “Smiling so much watching this!” one gushed, while another sighed, “Miss Hoda on Today!” The clip, captioned “We had the best surprise in our briefing meeting this morning!!” by Jenna & Friends, racked up views fast.
Kotb’s departure after 26 years at NBC—10 on Dateline, 16 on Today’s 10 a.m. slot—left a void. She’d called Hager her “ride-or-die” in a goodbye letter, citing a “seismic shift” at 60 driving her to prioritize daughters Haley, 9, and Hope, 5. Yet here she was, back at 30 Rock, not to reclaim her seat but to cheer Hager’s new chapter. Since January, Jenna & Friends has rotated co-hosts—Scarlett Johansson a fan favorite, returning in March—yet no permanent pick’s emerged. “There’s no rush,” an insider told DailyMail.com. “Lots are vying to guest host.”
Picture Kotb, radiant in casual chic, and Hager, mid-makeup, eyes wide—then Wade, beaming at the praise. It’s no shock Johansson’s a hit; her vibe clicked. But Kotb’s drop-in stole the show, a reminder of her pull. “My heart’s all over the map,” she’d written last year, torn yet sure of leaving. Now, she’s proving “two things can be right”—missing Today while thriving outside it. Hager’s “roster dating” quip from November—calling herself “single” at work—rang true as she mingles with guest stars. Kotb’s cameo? A wink that she’s never far, leaving fans begging: what’s next for this duo?
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