Almost a year after Hoda Kotb left TODAY, the show has finally announced who will take her seat as Jenna Bush Hager’s co-host during the fourth hour. Following a year full of rotating co-hosts on Jenna & Friends that included Scarlett Johansson, Matt Rogers, TODAY anchors and more, Sheinelle Jones has been named as Bush Hager’s permanent co-host. So, in celebration of that news, Hoda Kotb reacted in the sweetest way.
When Kotb left, there were two big seats to fill. One was during the first hour, and Craig Melvin immediately replaced her there, following her departure in January. The other was during the fourth hour. However, they didn’t find her replacement immediately. Now, though, Jones will take over the chair for the final segment of TODAY full-time. And she’s both perfect and Kotb-approved, as the former anchor wrote the following about Sheinelle Jones on Instagram:
Ok. I am weeping — just watched [Jenna Bush Hager] and [Shenielle Jones] show us what a match made in heaven looks like. So proud of you both…#proudmom
Well, that’s so sweet! I also love it because late last year, after Kotb announced her departure, she made it clear that whoever took over the fourth hour needed to have “beautiful chemistry” with Jenna Bush Hager. I think Jones has that, as you can see in her announcement video below, and I cannot wait to see her own the hour with her colleague:
Jones has been at TODAY for a long time. She started out working during Weekend TODAY in 2014, and then she became a co-host of TODAY’S third hour in 2019. She has the history, skills and charisma to be Bush Hager’s perfect co-host, and it’s clear that Kotb thinks so too.
That’s obvious from her post about this development. However, to prove this point even further, check out this story Jones told during the show about the phone call she received from her predecessor when she found out about the news:
Clara had a dance recital, all the things, and my phone kept [buzzing]. And I’m like, ‘I can’t talk. Clara’s tapping.’ And it was Hoda. And so, I went out to the lobby when we had some time, and I said, ‘Hey!’ And she goes, ‘Don’t say anything. Just listen,’ and she gave me 45 seconds of just wisdom that changed me. I’ll give you one part of it, she said ‘You’re gonna be doing graduation speeches and all that, and she goes: ‘Let’s remember this moment. You’re gonna talk about how this was a moment that changed your career, and it was the best decision for your kids, for you.’ She was like, ‘Working with Jenna, it’s gonna be better than you can ever imagine. You’re gonna love it.’
That truly warms my heart. I love that Kotb was quick to call Jones to congratulate her and pass on some words of wisdom. It sounds like the new co-host appreciates it all too (even though it all happened during her daughter’s dance recital).
Now, it’s time to get excited about Today with Jenna and Sheinelle, because they’re in it for the long haul together, and they will begin hosting full-time together on January 12 at 10 a.m. ET on NBC. So, make sure you are locked in when the 2026 TV schedule starts, because that’s when this new chapter in TODAY will begin.
