Jenna Bush Hager Teases Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb

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Jenna Bush Hager isn’t afraid to toot her own horn, and that’s exactly what she did on Monday’s episode of Today With Hoda and Jenna.

Bush Hager, 43, had some playful words for Kotb, 60, and her former Today show co-host, Kathie Lee Gifford, on the November 25 episode. The trio was chatting with actress Kaley Cuoco, where they all joked about having a glass of wine in the morning. Bush Hager quickly jumped in, teasing, “Well, Hoda used to do that with Kathie Lee.”

Kotb laughed and actually confirmed the claim, saying, “We used to! That used to be our thing.” Bush Hager quipped, “I came in and classed this place up,” with Kotb laughing and agreeing, “She sure did! This one did!”

From 2008 to 2019, Kotb and Gifford co-hosted Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda, gaining a reputation for their fun-filled segments where they often enjoyed a glass of wine with guests. After Gifford’s departure in 2019, Bush Hager took over as co-host. On Gifford’s final day on the show in 2019, it was revealed that she and her co-host had shared a total of 5,300 glasses of wine during their 11 years together, according toPeople.

Earlier in the show, Bush Hager had mentioned her late grandmother, Barbara Bush, and how her no-nonsense attitude had prepared her for 71-year-old Gifford’s bold personality. “My grandmother actually, she was so herself that sometimes it was scary,” she said. “She’d say things, and you’d be like, ‘Oh my gosh that kind of hurt my feelings.’ She prepared me for Kathie Lee! Because Kathie Lee’s totally herself, you know?”

The upcoming year will see another change for the fourth hour of Today, as Kotb will be retiring from the show in 2025, her last episode on January 10. It was announced on November 14 that longtime Today show anchor Craig Melvin will be replacing her, and Kotb has been nothing but supportive of the decision.

After the news was revealed, Kotb embraced Melvin, 45, congratulating him on his new role. “You are literally made for this job,” she told him. “You are that kind of good. You have all the things that this job needs. You’re the right person for it.” Melvin, known for his thoughtful demeanor, responded with kind words for Kotb, acknowledging her impact on the show. “To inherit this from you — you’ve been the heart of this place for a long time,” he said before lightheartedly added, “I’ll try not to screw it up.”