Hoda Kotb Makes History as the New Coanchor of the Today Show

The Today show kicked off 2018 with some big news. On Jan. 2, Savannah Guthrie announced Hoda Kotb as the new coanchor of the morning show. Kotb will continue to cohost Today's fourth hour alongside Kathie Lee Gifford. The 53-year-old is replacing Matt Lauer after he was fired in November after complaints of inappropriate sexual behavior. Hoda was right by Savannah's side when she announced Matt wouldn't be returning to the show, so it's not only poetic but also inspiring to see the two women taking over together.

"That morning was so hard, but Hoda and I were in it together," Guthrie told People. "We are family, and families do go through hard times, and when that happens in good families, you get closer. It was such a shock to wake up one day and not have Matt, but it was the most natural and comforting thing in the world to have Hoda right there. No one wanted that to stop."

The decision marks a historic moment for the show: for the first time, in the the 65 years since its debut, Today will have two women as main hosts. "When you click with someone, man, woman, it doesn't matter. If it works, it works," Hoda said of her bond with Savannah. "We're sort of like sisters, and everybody wants a sister."