today show stars hoda kotb and savannah guthrie in the nbc studios© NBC

Today Show reveal Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb's well-known replacements at start of the week

The NBC daytime show had two different hosts on the news desk on Monday

US Managing Editor
April 17, 2023

Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb are familiar faces on Today, and fans are used to seeing them on the NBC news desk each weekday. 

However, on Monday, both Savannah and Hoda were absent from the show, and were replaced by two subs instead. 

Along with regular Today co-anchor Craig Melvin, Kristen Welker and Jacob Soboroff filled in for the duo. 

VIDEO: Hoda Kotb's co-stars are in competition for this surprise reason

Craig explained Hoda and Savannah's absences at the start of the show, telling viewers that they both had "the morning off". 

Savannah and Hoda have been working together on Today since 2017, and are close friends outside of work, too. What's more, they are both working moms and support each other when it comes to balancing parenting with co-hosting a busy morning show. 

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Hoda previously told Good Housekeeping magazine: "I have some nights where I really messed up and I know I did. And I come in the next morning [thinking], I feel terrible for what I did. What was I thinking? Why did I think that was going to work? They went to bed crying. Like, I don't want that to be me. But then I talk to Savannah. She'll say, 'That was my Wednesday,' it makes you feel less alone." 

© NBC

Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie were both absent on Monday's Today

Savannah, meanwhile, praised Hoda and the show during an interview with HELLO! in November 2022. 

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She said: "We feel grateful every single day, I know we feel grateful for this partnership and getting to come and do a job that is literally fun and to get to do it with a good friend who you trust so much and to just hold hands and get to do this together every morning - I never get over that. I still can't believe it came true."

Hoda reiterated her words and added: "I am working with Savannah which is a job that you can only dream of having. I have two children that were even so far out of my dreams so I'm thankful for the fact that magic still happens later in life. It really does get greater later. It gets better and I'm grateful for that."

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