Hoda Kotb made her highly anticipated return to Today alongside Savannah Guthrie this Monday, almost a year after her surprising departure from the show. Fans were thrilled to see the dynamic duo back together, with Savannah greeting viewers with a warm “Hi, everybody, good morning, and welcome to Today. Nice to have you with us on a Monday morning.”
But while the reunion seemed picture-perfect, a new source reveals that their on-screen friendship may not be as smooth as it appears behind the scenes. According to an insider, there’s more competition than camaraderie between the two hosts.
“There’s always been competition. This is morning TV — it’s a ratings war every single day,” the insider told In Touch Weekly, speaking to Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack.
The source went on to reveal some shocking details, claiming that Savannah Guthrie had actually wanted Willie Geist to replace Matt Lauer after his termination in 2017. However, NBC handed the role to Hoda Kotb instead, much to Savannah’s dismay.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(726x487:728x489)/Savannah-Guthrie-Hoda-Kotb-TODAY-040926-tout-3561384fb4a1416698862e1205c78cc8.jpg)
“Hoda got the job because audiences loved her,” the insider explained. “Not because Savannah wanted her there. This was never a natural pairing. They made it work, but it wasn’t Savannah’s choice.”
Hoda’s return to the show is also temporary, as she’s stepping in for Craig Melvin while he’s on vacation. However, the insider hinted at some bigger dynamics in play — if Today’s ratings continue to rise, Savannah may have to adjust to seeing a lot more of Hoda.
For those out of the loop, Hoda announced her departure from the Today show in January 2025 while Savannah was on a break due to her mother Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, making this return even more loaded with intrigue.
Could this behind-the-scenes drama spell trouble for Today’s future? Fans are buzzing to know what happens next!
