Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker and more ‘Today’ hosts react to Hoda Kotb’s shocking exit

Several of the “Today” show co-hosts tearfully reacted to Hoda Kotb’s shocking announcement that she would be leaving the NBC show after 26 years on Thursday.

Kotb’s co-hosts, Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones and Craig Melvin all sat next to her side while Kotb emotionally announced her departure.

“I just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 years old, because I started thinking about that decade. Like, what does that decade mean? What does it hold? What’s it gonna have for me? And I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new,” Kotb said through tears on Thursday’s broadcast.

Hoda Kotb announced she is leaving the “Today” show after 26 years with NBC on Thursday. NBC Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager both comforted Kotb while she shared her decision. NBC

Shortly after sharing the news, all the co-hosts shared a few words while also talking through tears.  

“We love you so much, and when you look around and see these tears, they’re love, and you are so loved, and honestly I don’t think any of us can imagine –– we don’t wanna imagine this place without you,” Guthrie began through a whispering voice and tears.

Guthrie –– who co-anchors the first two hours of the news show with Kotb –– admitted that the decision is “complicated,” because they love her and “don’t want [her] to ever go.”

Guthrie also got emotional while expressing how “proud” she is of her “Today” show co-anchor. NBC Kotb and Guthrie, pictured here in November 2017, have been officially co-hosting the morning show since 2018. Getty Images

“But also, I just wanna say I am so proud of my friend. You have guts. For someone to leave at the top of their game, to leave something that’s wonderful, that you love where it’s easy and comfortable and beautiful and fun and say, ‘But I dream even bigger for myself in the great unknown.’ You have so much guts. You inspire me, I love you,” Guthrie said.

Guthrie, 52, continued the sweet sentiments and shared an Instagram reel from the morning broadcast and wrote, “Oh, Hoda. All the tears for you. For love and joy and above all, gratitude for this beautiful soul, who has light, warmth, goodness and faith – in abundance. I love you with all my heart, dearest Hoda. We will always be by each other’s side. ❤️.”

Bush Hager –– who co-hosts “Today With Hoda and Jenna” with Kotb –– then added some humor into the intense conversation by joking that it’s “not over,” because she’s going to be “showing up at your house like the stalker.”

“We are your friends forever,” Bush Hager, 43, sweetly added.

Jenna Bush Hager, pictured here with Kotb and Guthrie in December 2012, also said some sweet words. WireImage Al Roker, pictured here with Kotb and Guthrie, gushed about his “love” for Kotb, as well. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Meanwhile, weatherman Al Roker seemed more emotional and only simply told her, “I have never known anyone like you, and I’ve known you forever, and I love you.”

Sheinelle Jones, the co-host of the third hour of the broadcast show, chimed in to tell viewers that the entire group is a “family.”

“Hoda has a relationship with every single person on this couch in her own way, so I think we’re all just kind of wrestling with it inside, but we also know what a dynamic mom you are and presence you are and your whole movement with wellness, you are going to change the world, and we know it, so we’re still here,” Jones said.

Kotb shared her emotional decision on Thursday’s episode of “Today.” NBC Kotb has worked at NBC for 26 years. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Kotb stunned fans when she announced that she would be leaving the NBC family after 26 years.

“I decided this is the right time for me to kind of move on. And so with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world. I’m not gonna be here past the first of the year. I’m gonna stay in the NBC family, but it’s kind of a big deal for me,” she said through tears.

Prior to Thursday’s emotional segment, a source told Page Six that Kotb made the decision after moving to the suburbs of New York City with her two daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 4.

Kotb cried while admitting the whole ordeal has been a “big deal” for her. NBC A source told Page Six that the decision was “heartbreaking for everyone.” Helen Healey/NBC via Getty Images

“It’s heartbreaking for everyone, but Hoda wants to be able to walk her kids to school,” the insider told us.

However, the same source told us that she still hopes to stay on the show in “some capacity.”

“We have time to work it out,” the source said.

Kotb recently moved to the suburbs after previously raising her young daughters in NYC. She even took off earlier this month to walk them to their first day of school and gushed over how “normal” it felt.

Kotb got her start with the NBC family by working for “Dateline NBC” in 1998. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images A source told Page Six that Kotb wants to be able to spend more time with her daughters, Hope and Haley. Instagram/@hodakotb

The broadcast journalist first joined the NBC family in 1998 when she worked as a correspondent for “Dateline NBC” and other NBC News platforms.

She eventually joined the fourth hour on “Today With Hoda and Kathie Lee” in 2008. Kathie Lee Gifford left in 2019, and Bush Hager filled the spot, thus creating “Today With Hoda and Jenna.”

In 2018, Kotb became the official co-anchor of “Today” alongside Guthrie after Matt Lauer was fired for allegations of sexual misconduct.