It’s been months since Hoda Kotb stepped away from Today With Hoda & Jenna, yet her seat is still vacant with Jenna Bush Hager hosting a panel of guests to fill Kotb’s spot. But a new report claims NBC could have their eye on one special celebrity to join Bush Hager on the show.
The Daily Mail reports NBC offered the spot to fellow network host Kelly Clarkson who is reportedly feeling “overwhelmed” by her hosting duties on The Kelly Clarkson Show, according to a NBC insider.
The unnamed source said Clarkson is “contemplating” the offer.
The Grammy-winning singer has been hosting her own show on NBC and Peacock since 2019. She’s recently missed several episodes of the broadcast for unexplained reasons, but the insider claims Clarkson has found the “work-life balance difficult.”
Clarkson is not the only “A-lister” interested in the job, either. But NBC is reportedly “scrambling to keep” Clarkson on the network as she’s become “worn down” by the schedule, the outlet reports.
The source noted that Clarkson was inspired by Kotb’s decision to retire to spend more time with her kids. But the move to an earlier hour may be enough to keep her in the business.
“Kelly wants to spend more time with her kids,” the insider said. “She feels she is missing too much of their lives. She is now contemplating leaving [her show] and replacing Hoda.”
However, another insider reported the network is “still a ways away from naming a full-time replacement.” So it looks like Bush Hager will continue hosting new celebrities and friends every week until a permanent co-host is named.
Olivia Munn is the latest celebrity to join Bush Hager on Today With Jenna & Friends. Several celebrities have left a memorable mark on the show but Scarlett Johansson was an early favorite.
But Bush Hager recently revealed Kotb is still sharing her opinions and “giving feedback” on how Today has continued after her exit.
“You all know Hoda, she’s like the most supportive, amazing force,” she said of her former co-host. “But she definitely is like, ‘OK, that was great’ or ‘This is great.’ She definitely has opinions, which I love. I care about what she thinks.”
Today with Jenna & Friends airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.
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