Today's Sheinelle Jones steps in for 'Fourth Hour' segment with Jenna Bush Hager amid Hoda Kotb's absence
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘Today’ host Hoda Kotb has reportedly ditched her duties for an entire week from NBC studio as her absence is continuously filled in by familiar hosts.
Recently, Today’s beloved co-host Sheinelle Jones stepped in to take Kotb’s seat during the ‘Fourth Hour’ segment.
For the ‘Today with Hoda and Jenna’ segment, Jones filled in for Kotb and sat with Jenna Bush Hager. Earlier this week, news presenter Justin Sylvester was filling in for Kotb’s absence.
Why did Sheinelle Jones replace Hoda Kotb on 'Today'?
On Friday, August 11 broadcast, Kotb remained absent from her usual spot as she took her time off to celebrate her 59th birthday with her family.
For the 'Today' segment, a clip shared on Twitter featured fans greeting Hager and Jones as the host for the day.
.@sheinellejones is talking all about empowering herself that she can 'do hard things' after turning 40 — including training for the NYC Marathon: “I’m doing this for all of us, to prove we can do this.” pic.twitter.com/COke1wIQ2o
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) August 11, 2023
While Hager carried on the show as usual, she didn’t dish on Kotb’s longstanding absence from the show.
Jenna Bush Hager video calls Hoda Kotb amid her absence from 'Today'
However, early in the week, Hager playfully hinted at video calling Kotb live, but not before sharing a quick anecdote.
Hager recounted treating Kotb and her family to dinner at a restaurant the previous night, yet Kotb had to leave even before dessert was served.
Despite the situation, Kotb gleefully answered the Facetime call, revealing her enjoying quality time with her loved ones at her home.
She wore her wireless headphones, and greeted viewers, showcasing her mom, sister, brother, sister-in-law, and her daughters, Haley and Hope.
Kotb displayed the festive birthday decorations adorning her home, featuring a bunch of balloons and a table runner.
She also showcased the remnants of her morning meal, a "surprise" left in her room. In a charming moment, Haley endeavored to be a part of the Facetime call, consistently placing her hand near her mother's head and chatting near the camera.
Bringing up the dinner Hager treated them to, Kotb humorously quipped, “We had the best dinner on you, sorry about the bill, take out a loan! It was awesome!”
With another camera sweep, Kotb shared her home and family once more as her fellow ‘Today’ hosts extended warm birthday wishes.
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Why is Hoda Kotb absent from ‘Today’?
Earlier this week, Kotb revealed her whereabouts with multiple snaps she shared on her Instagram. She gave her fans a sneak peek of what she’s been up to during her time off from the NBC show.
Kotb had set aside some personal time before gearing up for her upcoming grand birthday celebration. One snapshot captured her seated at a table, surrounded by friends and family savoring the meal Kotb had generously treated them to.
Kotb expressed her gratitude in the caption, “@jennabhager thx for the delicious pre-bday meal! My family loved it— and YOU!!”
Additionally, she posted an image of herself enjoying the Women's World Cup alongside her children during the weekend.
