Savannah Guthrie discovered Hoda Kotb was leaving the “Today” show just days before she announced it publicly on Sept. 26.
“It was the Monday before the world found out and she called me because I had had the day off and I was traveling,” Guthrie, 52, recalled to Us Weekly at the Project Healthy Minds 2nd Annual World Mental Health Day Gala in New York City on Thursday.
“She called me and the first thing I said to her is, ‘I’m proud of you. I love you, you’re amazing. And it doesn’t matter where we sit, we’ll always be by each other’s side.’”
The journalist wasn’t too surprised by Kotb’s decision to leave her co-anchoring position because she said they “had this discussion for years and years.”
“We’re dear friends and we have a lot of similarities,” she added. “We’re basically in the same phase of life.”
While Guthrie told Us Weekly she was “so sad” for herself and the show because they’re losing “irreplaceable” Kotb, she confirmed she is “happy for her as her friend.”
Guthrie shared the same sentiment when she spoke to Page Six at the Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Gala.
“I’m so happy for her and I’m so proud of her as her friend because she’s following her heart and it’s a big bode of confidence in herself and her future — not because she knows what it will be, but because she believes in herself and she trusts her gut,” she gushed.
“I’ll really, really miss her. We all will, you know? To me, she’s irreplaceable,” she added. “But we’re family and she’s not going too far.”
Kotb will still be employed by NBC following her “Today” exit, but it’s unclear what her next role will be.
An insider told Page Six ahead of her big announcement that she hopes to spend more time with her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 4.
“It’s heartbreaking for everyone, but Hoda wants to be able to walk her kids to school,” the source said.
When Kotb emotionally announced her impending departure from “Today,” she said she really began analyzing her life, achievements and what she wants in her future ahead of her 60th birthday in August.
“I decided this is the right time for me to kind of move on,” she explained. “And so with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”
Kotb has been with NBC for 26 years and took over Matt Lauer’s spot as a “Today” co-host in 2017 amid his serious sexual harassment allegations.
She also hosts the third hour of the show with Kathie Lee Gifford and then Jenna Bush Hager.
