Hello, hello, hello…
Savannah Guthrie returned to Today on Tuesday after taking time away from the show as the search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, continues. But while she was off the air, one thing became crystal clear behind the scenes: Hoda Kotb is no longer the automatic choice to fill Savannah’s anchor chair.
Instead, NBC turned to Sheinelle Jones and Laura Jarrett to co-anchor alongside Craig Melvin rather than bringing Hoda back. Insiders say the decision was a sign that Today is embracing its next chapter.
“Savannah has quietly made it known she wants a deeper bench,” one television insider tells Naughty But Nice. “Hoda left on her own terms, and everyone respects that. But the show isn’t looking backward. Savannah wants viewers to become just as comfortable with Sheinelle, Laura, and other anchors alongside Craig.”
Sources say Hoda’s departure marked the end of an era, and there is little interest inside Studio 1A in recreating the old dynamic.
“Hoda chose to leave, and the show has to move forward,” another insider says. “There’s enormous respect for everything she accomplished, but nobody is trying to recreate the past. The focus now is building what’s next.”
Insiders also dismiss the long-running narrative that Savannah and Hoda shared an especially close friendship off camera.
“They were always consummate professionals, but they were never best friends,” a source says. “People mistook great television for a deep personal relationship. They have very different styles, and everyone at the show knew that.
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Another insider says Savannah fully supports the broader anchor rotation as Today enters a new era.
“Savannah wants viewers focused on the future, not Hoda,” the source says. “Hoda had an extraordinary connection with the audience, but this is about building the next generation of Today.”
Savannah may be back at the desk, but insiders say the message inside NBC couldn’t be clearer: Today isn’t trying to bring back the past. It’s investing in its future.
Cheers
Rob Shuter
And remember… if you’re going to be naughty, you’ve got to be nice. 💋