Hoda Kotb’s Permanent ‘Today’ Replacement Reportedly Revealed

It seems like Hoda Kotb’s permanent replacement for the fourth hour of Today has finally been chosen.

Rob Shuter reports that longtime 3^rd Hour Today co-host Sheinelle Jones has been tapped to join Jenna Bush Hager for the fourth hour.

Sources say that the promotion has been “months in the making.” However, things went on pause after Jones had to take a leave of absence following a “family health matter.” In May, it was announced that her husband of 17 years, Uche Ojeh, passed away at 45 following a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Jones had been on leave since December, and only shared in January the reason for her extended absence. One insider shared that had “he not been sick, this would’ve been announced a long time ago. But she wasn’t thinking about ratings. Just love.”

Kotb began hosting the fourth hour of Today in 2007. Kathie Lee Gifford joined her in 2008, before she was replaced by Bush Hager in 2019. Currently, Bush Hager doesn’t have a permanent host, as it’s just Today with Jenna and Friends, with the former First Daughter having rotating guest co-hosts. Earlier this month, she spoke to PEOPLE about where she stands with a new co-host.

“We’re still searching,” she said. “We definitely want somebody permanent at some point, just because that’s our show, and I think the Today show is such a family. So to have somebody sit in that seat means a lot to all of us. So it will happen. I think we’ve all just been kind of living day by day, and we don’t have any developments yet, but we will.”

It hasn’t officially been announced that Sheinelle Jones will join Jenna Bush Hager, and as of now, she is still taking the time to mourn her husband. So it’s unknown if and when an announcement will be made, but there doesn’t seem to be any rush if Jones is truly going to be a permanent host. Meanwhile, Today favorite Craig Melvin officially replaced Kotb as a co-anchor during the main Today hour beginning in January after Kotb left, and although it took some time to get used to, it was a seamless transition.