Hoda Kotb reveals who she wants to replace her as Jenna Bush Hager’s co-host on ‘Today’ show

Hoda Kotb knows who she wants to switch her connected nan “Today” show.

The greeting show host, 60, said astir her successor successful a caller question and reply pinch E! News.

“The personification who I want is personification who has beautiful chemistry pinch Jenna [Bush Hager],” Kotb told nan outlet connected Oct. 25, referring to her co-anchor connected nan 4th hr of “Today.”

“That’s each I want. Because it’s ne'er astir either anchor, it’s astir what’s between. So bring nan chemistry.”

She continued, “I don’t attraction if it’s [Jenna’s] champion friend, I don’t attraction if it’s personification she’s worked with, if it’s immoderate celeb, erstwhile she gets successful sync, that’s it. If she has chemistry, it will beryllium beautiful.”

Kotb said that while she doesn’t person an charismatic ballot successful who NBC chooses to switch her connected “Today,” she has encouraged Bush Hager, 42, to beryllium outspoken during nan casting process.

“I said Jenna, ‘Feel who you want. Feel what feels correct for you,'” nan mother of 2 recounted. “She’ll know, because nan only measurement it’s going to activity is if they sewage a vibe aliases not. Just nan nosy statement vibe. It can’t beryllium forced.”

The “Making Space” podcaster besides shared what proposal she would springiness to her successor. “Look, you get to beryllium adjacent to Savannah Guthrie, here’s what you’re going to do: You’re going to thrust sidecar and opportunity ‘thank you very much,’ OK?” Kotb told E!

The greeting show host, who amazed “Today” fans successful September erstwhile she announced her exit aft 26 years pinch nan network, described nan acquisition of continuing to activity connected nan show arsenic a “slow goodbye.”

“It tin almost beryllium really grueling,” she explained. “It’s benignant of for illustration a unusual process, which I wasn’t rather prepared for.”

Nonetheless, nan anchor is looking guardant to the adjacent section successful her life — which won’t impact waking up astatine 3 AM each weekday.

“I’ve recovered out, successful my town, there’s a 5:30 Soul Cycle people which, I’m going to start,” she shared. “I’m going to walk it pinch humans, past I’m going to spell backmost and provender my kids meal and I americium going to make a java to spell successful my Yeti. I’m going to locomotion my kids down nan beautiful streets to their schoolhouse and I’m going to buss them goodbye.”

Kotb shares 2 daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 4, pinch her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.

Her full question and reply airs tonight, Oct. 29, astatine 11 p.m. connected “E! News.”