Hoda Kotb is honored to be back by Savannah Guthrie‘s side.
The 61-year-old former Today show co-anchor has returned to the NBC morning show to fill in for Craig Melvin for the week while he’s on Spring Break. That puts her next to her former co-anchor, Guthrie, 54, for the first time since she stepped away from the show in Jan. 2025.
It’s a touching reunion that comes at an emotional time for Guthrie, who recently returned to Today after two months away from the anchor desk amid the ongoing investigation into her mother Nancy Guthrie’s abduction.
Kotb exclusively opened up to PEOPLE about the experience on Wednesday, April 15, at the book launch party for Sheinelle Jones‘ debut book, Through Mom’s Eyes: Simple Wisdom from Mothers Who Raised Extraordinary Humans, at The Double Knot in New York City.
“It’s been fun holding her hand,” Kotb tells PEOPLE. “I mean, that’s been my favorite part.”
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Getting visibly choked up, Kotb continued, “Just sitting next to her. That’s it. It’s been really beautiful and I feel privileged to be able to sit there for a little while.”
And while Kotb says that Savannah has told her she’s “helping me out.” she argues, “I don’t feel that. I feel like I get to be in the seat to watch what strength looks like. There’s nobody like her.”
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Kotb conducted Savannah’s emotional March interview for Today, where she detailed the harrowing moments when she first learned that her mother was missing and her decision to fly to Arizona to be with her family amid the search.
“To think that I brought this to her bedside, that it’s because of me?” Savannah said of the speculation that her fame inspired the kidnapper. “Can I just say, I’m so sorry, Mommy. I’m sorry to my sister and my brother and my kids and my nephew and Tommy, my brother-in-law. I’m just so sorry. I’m so sorry. If it is me, I’m so sorry.”
However, Kotb and the rest of Savannah’s colleagues and friends have praised her resilience and strength during these unprecedented times.
“What Savannah has shown in these past 54 days is the most remarkable grace I have ever witnessed,” Kotb said as she introduced the interview.
