Savannah Guthrie On ‘Today’ Co-Host Hoda Kotb Leaving: “If I Had It My Way, We’d Be Together Forever”

deadline.com:

Savannah Guthrie is sharing her thoughts on Today co-host Hoda Kotb leaving the show in 2025. In a new interview with People, the NBC morning personality said she was “shocked but not surprised” to hear about Kotb’s decision to exit the show. “She and I have had many, many conversations about life and what does it mean in our hopes and our dreams, and I knew that 60 was a big moment and where she’s thinking a lot about just how she wants to spend the rest of her day.

So I wasn’t surprised,” Guthrie told the publication. She continued, “But then when it happened, of course, I was happy for her because I think it’s so courageous and bold and amazing and this mode of confidence in herself and her bright future that she’s writing, and she’s writing it.” Guthrie noted that she is “inspired” by Kotb’s decision and added, “Of course, I’m also sad because I love her so much, and if I had it my way, we’d be together forever.” On the September 26 broadcast of the Today show, Kotb publicly announced she was departing the show after 17 years.

In a separate interview with People, Kotb said the driving factor for her decision to quit the show was to spend more time with her two daughters, who are 7 and 5 years old. “There’s the guilt you carry because you can’t be 100% at work and 100% at home,” she said. “Something has to give if you want excellence.

If you’re going to be excellent at work, something has to give at home. And if you want to be excellent at home, I mean excellent, and do all the things, something has to give at work.