Since the departure of Hoda Kotb at the beginning of the year, Jenna Bush Hager has been navigating a new dynamic on the fourth hour of *Today*.

The beloved morning show segment, *Today with Hoda & Jenna*, quickly evolved into *Today with Jenna & Friends*,

with a rotating cast of guest hosts taking the seat next to Jenna.

The shift allowed for a diverse range of personalities, from Eva Longoria and Taraji P. Henson to Keke Palmer and Scarlett Johansson,

making each episode a fresh and exciting experience.

However, on Sunday, it was revealed that a familiar face would be joining Jenna for a surprising shake-up.

On March 3, Savannah Guthrie, *Today*’s co-anchor and Jenna’s close friend, was announced as the next guest host for *Today with Jenna & Friends*. The show’s official Instagram account teased the announcement, saying, “Our queen of the early hours of TODAY will be sticking around to co-host with JBH tomorrow morning!” Savannah reshared the post, adding a joyful “Wooohooo,” expressing her excitement to join her longtime friend on the show.

Jenna and Savannah have a long-standing friendship that extends beyond the studio. In fact, their bond is so strong that they are not only colleagues but also godmothers to each other’s children. Jenna is the godmother to Savannah’s daughter, Vale, and Savannah is the godmother to Jenna’s son, Hal. The two families share a close connection, with their kids having grown up together, cementing their relationships as more like family than just friends.

In an interview with *People*, Savannah opened up about the connection between their families, saying, “The core of our friendship and our kids’ friendship is so strong.” Savannah explained that while Jenna and her family moved from New York City to Connecticut, they have made an effort to stay close, making weekend plans to catch up and visit each other. “Our kids are still buddies,” Savannah shared, highlighting how important their bond remains despite the geographical distance.

The closeness of their families extends beyond just the parents. Savannah fondly recalled the years when the families were neighbors in New York City. “It was such a beautiful moment in time, those five, six, seven years that we were neighbors. Our kids grew up together,” Savannah said. Her children, Vale and Charley, consider Jenna’s kids, Mila, 11, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 5, to be more like cousins than anything else. “Hal, her youngest, is my godson, so my kids like to call the other kids their godbrothers and sisters. And it feels like family.”

The bond between the two families is so strong that when they get together, it’s as if no time has passed at all. “When we get together it’s like no time has passed at all,” Savannah said. “We’re not far. You just have to make a plan and say, ‘All right, we’re driving out to see you guys. We’ll come.’” This close-knit connection has remained intact even after the move, with the families continuing to make time for one another.

Their friendship extends to Hoda Kotb, who left *Today* in January. Despite her departure, Hoda remains an integral part of Jenna and Savannah’s lives. The trio shares a deep friendship, with Hoda calling Jenna her “ride-or-die,” and Jenna referring to Hoda as her “partner.” Before Hoda’s departure, Jenna spoke about the joy of working alongside her dear friend. “We are really good friends, and so it makes work easy and natural and fun because I adore who I am next to,” Jenna said. “Sitting next to [Hoda] every single day for the last five years has been the best, best privilege.”

Jenna’s new hosting role with Savannah by her side is sure to bring a fresh energy to the show. The combination of their natural chemistry, deep friendship, and shared history makes them a dynamic duo that viewers are excited to watch. As they continue to navigate this new chapter of the *Today* show, their strong bond and unwavering support for each other will undoubtedly shine through on screen, making for a memorable and heartwarming experience for both the hosts and their audience.