Mariska Hargitay offers a “step-in” for Hoda Kotb after today’s exit

Hoda Kotbdecision to leave Today show is one that her buddy Mariska Hargitay admires.

“I love you so much, I’m so proud of you, inspired and excited to see you today,” Hargitay told Kotb, both 60, at the end of the interview on the Tuesday, October 1 episode of Today. “And I’m so grateful to be able to say that because we’ve been together 26 years, baby. And we’ve been together for 60 years, honey.

Kotb began her career at NBC as Dateline correspondent 26 years ago, shortly before Hargitay’s debut as Olivia Benson Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 1999

Referring to Kotb’s upcoming exit from Todaythe actress continued: “When you made the decision, I said, ‘Yes!’ I said, “Yes!” And my God, I feel sorry for all of us in this country who will miss you, and most of all (Savannah Guthrie).” (Kotb took over Matt Lauer as Guthrie’s co-host in 2018)

While Kotb’s official successor has not yet been announced, Hargitay has put her own name forward. “(I’m) happy to step in at any time,” she joked. Guthrie, 52, was open to the idea and replied, “We might have to call you.”

Kotb surprised Today fans on Thursday, September 26, announcing his departure from the series. “I just turned 60 and it was a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 because I started thinking about this decade, like: What does this decade mean? What holds it? What will that mean for me?” she stated. “And I realized that it was time for me, at 60, to turn the page and try something new.”

Kotb made her decision shortly after celebrating her 60th birthday Today. “I remember standing outside and looking at this beautiful group of people with all these great signs and thinking, ‘This is what it feels like to be on top of a wave.’ I thought, ‘It can’t get any better. ‘ And I decided it was the right time for me to kind of move on,’ she explained.

Her two daughters, Haley (7) and Hope (5), were also very influential. “They deserve a bigger share of my time, the cake that I have,” Kotb said. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time. Considering all this, it’s the hardest thing in the world. (Kotb is raising her children with her ex-fiance, Joel Schiffman.)

Kotb will remain enabled Today through January 2025 and plans to remain within the NBC family for its future projects.

Following the news regarding Today show shakeup, as exclusively reported by a source “Nas” weekly. what NBC is looking at Laura Jarrett as Kotb’s successor. “She is the anchor Weekend today; she’s a lawyer like Savannah,” the insider noted. “She is beloved in Today show me who got up very quickly.”

The source added: “Another option is to be able to move around the anchors. They could bet Craig (Melvin) from Savannah, or they could put it Sheinelle (Jones) from Savannah.”

Although Kotb stated that the main reason for her departure was family, a Puck a report later claimed that Kotb may have decided to leave Today after she was asked to reduce her salary by more than $20 million. However, another source clarified Us that “salary played no role in Hoda’s decision.”