Carson Daly Drops Bombshell on Jenna Bush Hager’s Today Show Future

Carson Daly, a longtime staple of NBC’s Today Show, recently sent shockwaves through the show’s fanbase with a surprising revelation about the future of Today with Jenna & Friends. In a candid interview with Us Weekly, Daly offered an inside look into the direction of the program following Hoda Kotb’s departure earlier this year. Kotb, who co-hosted alongside Jenna Bush Hager for five years, stepped down in January, leaving the show—previously known as Today with Hoda & Jenna—without a permanent replacement. Instead, the program has embraced a dynamic format featuring a rotating roster of guest co-hosts, a move that Daly suggested may become a permanent fixture.

“I ask all the time,” Daly admitted when pressed about the possibility of a fixed co-host for Bush Hager. “I think they want to keep this rotating thing going.” His comments hint at a deliberate shift in the show’s structure, one that prioritizes variety over stability. As a fellow Today host, Daly has had a front-row seat to the evolving co-host lineup, and he expressed enthusiasm for the fresh energy it brings. “Jenna’s had a lot of really good people,” he noted, praising the diverse array of personalities who have joined her on air. From Hollywood heavyweights like Scarlett Johansson to sports broadcaster Erin Andrews and former NBA star Dwyane Wade, the guest co-hosts have kept the show vibrant and unpredictable.

Daly didn’t shy away from sharing his personal favorites, singling out Wade and Andrews for their standout performances. “I loved Dwyane Wade. I thought he was awesome,” he said, adding, “Every time Erin Andrews is on, I’m like, ‘She’s amazing.’” However, when it came to fan-favorite Scarlett Johansson, Daly was pragmatic, acknowledging her star power but jokingly pointing out the financial hurdle: “Scarlett Johansson is everybody’s favorite, but she happens to be Hollywood’s most expensive actor. We can’t afford her, but she loves doing it.”

While Daly’s comments focused on the show’s format, Jenna Bush Hager herself recently dropped hints about her own future, sparking speculation that her time on Today may be nearing a turning point. During a recent on-air conversation, the 43-year-old anchor reflected on her dreams of relocating to her hometown of Austin, Texas, where she hopes to raise her three children—Mila, 12, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 6—with her husband, Henry Hager. “I think everybody should have chapters in their lives,” Bush Hager mused, suggesting that her current role on Today with Jenna & Friends might be one such chapter approaching its conclusion.

When co-host Matt Rogers playfully questioned why her time on the show would ever end, Bush Hager responded with a lighthearted yet telling remark: “Well… linear television, baby! Who knows?” Her words point to the uncertainty surrounding the future of traditional morning shows in an era of rapidly changing media consumption. She went on to express her desire to return to Texas, where she attended a large public high school, to offer her children a different lifestyle. With her eldest daughter, Mila, just a few years away from high school, Bush Hager’s comments suggest that a move could happen sooner rather than later.

The combination of Daly’s revelation and Bush Hager’s introspective comments has left fans buzzing with questions about what lies ahead for Today with Jenna & Friends. Will the show continue to thrive with its rotating co-hosts, or is a more permanent change on the horizon? For now, Bush Hager remains a beloved fixture on the Today stage, but her hints at a new chapter and Daly’s insights into the show’s direction signal that exciting—and perhaps unexpected—developments are in store.