Savannah Guthrie and Extra Share Tribute to Hoda Kotb on Her Final Day at ‘At this time’

Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Craig Melvin and Carson Daly are bidding farewell to the At this time present staple Hoda Kotb after her 17 years on the present.

On Friday, Jan. 10, Guthrie and the remainder of the At this time household shared an emotional tribute to Kotb as she marked her remaining day on the NBC information program.

“After we thought how finest to have fun you, Hoda, and what you have meant to all of us, it was actually only one phrase — love,” Guthrie instructed Kotb to begin the tribute. “You might be love. And we love you. You are all about it. We’re so impressed by you day-after-day.”

And although she needed to have fun her buddy, Guthrie quipped, “If I do not do that interview, does that imply she will not depart?”

Calling Kotb, 60, “like a sister to me,” Guthrie, 53, gushed, “She’s so particular, it is virtually past description.”

The At this time co-anchors cherish their time earlier than the present preparing within the hair and make-up chair, with Guthrie expressing, “We treasure this time earlier than the present the place we simply discuss and generally it will get actually emotional and the poor make-up artist must begin another time.”

Calling Kotb “the final word individuals individual,” Guthrie added, “Hoda, I like you. I like you deeply. And like I at all times inform you, whether or not you are sitting subsequent to me or not. Whether or not we stand up at 4 o’clock within the morning collectively or not, I’ll at all times be by your facet and you’ll at all times be by mine.”

Melvin, who will likely be taking up Kotb’s co-anchor spot, raved over her capacity to attach with everybody she talks to.

“Hoda would not do interviews, she has conversations,” Melvin stated. “She’s not wanting you within the eyes, she’s peering into your soul.”

Weatherman Roker acquired emotional reflecting on the time Kotb helped him via a well being battle in 2022.

“I used to be gravely ailing. I by no means had any thought how sick I used to be,” Roker stated. “I used to be within the hospital and I believe Hoda was there if not day-after-day, virtually day-after-day… it acquired to the purpose the place I believe individuals thought she was a health care provider.”

He added of the mom of two, “I’m going to overlook you popping out of that dressing room each morning, however you realize what? You, Hope and Haley get to come back out of your rooms and see one another each morning, and so, how might I be unhappy?”

Kotb broke down in tears over her co-workers’ tributes, jokingly declaring, “That was not truthful. Can I simply say thanks? I have not been capable of articulate it as a result of I am a large number a lot of the occasions. I simply need to say thanks.”

She jokingly instructed Melvin, “Craig, I am so completely satisfied for you. You have earned this. You personal this. And are available Monday at seven o’clock a.m. I’m going to be useless asleep, however you are going to be improbable.”

However her most emotional response got here for Guthrie, as she wiped away tears.

“You are my individual, my individual,” Kotb instructed Guthrie. “You realize who exhibits up for everyone? This lady. When your brother died, this lady. After I was going via stuff with Hope it was this lady. She’s within the room. She’s at all times within the room. And I like you.”

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The tribute comes after Guthrie and Kotb shared a candy second at Rockefeller Heart tree lighting in December almost three months after Kotb introduced her resolution to depart the At this time present after 17 years.

In a candy video shared by the At this time present on Instagram, the pair stood arm in arm as they watched snowflakes fall, and Kotb seemed lovingly at her longtime co-host, who leaned her head in opposition to Kotb’s shoulder and so they shared a second.

In October, Guthrie opened as much as PEOPLE about her response to studying Kotb could be leaving the morning present.

“Nicely, I might say I used to be shocked however not stunned as a result of she and I’ve had many, many conversations about life and what does it imply in our hopes and our goals, and I knew that 60 was a giant second and the place she’s pondering rather a lot about simply how she needs to spend the remainder of her day,” Guthrie stated on the time. “So I wasn’t stunned.” 

She continued, “However then when it occurred, in fact I used to be completely satisfied for her as a result of I believe it is so brave and daring and superb and this mode of confidence in herself and her vibrant future that she’s writing, and she or he’s writing it.”

Guthrie added that she was happy with her buddy for taking a leap of religion, saying, “It isn’t like she is aware of, ‘Oh I will this job. I am going. She would not know, however she is aware of what she will do and I like that and I am impressed by that.”

She concluded, “And naturally I am additionally unhappy as a result of I like her a lot and if I had it my approach, we would be collectively eternally.”

In September, Kotb revealed that she would depart the At this time present after almost twenty years. Craig Melvin is about to step in as her substitute, starting on Monday, Jan. 13.

Kotb praised Melvin, 45, after the information was introduced, telling him on-air, “You might be made for this job.”

“You might be actually made for this job. You might be that form of good,” she continued. “You’ve all of the issues that this job wants. You are the proper individual for it.”