While Gayle King works for a competing network’s morning program, Jenna Bush Hager wouldn’t mind seeing her join the Today lineup.
During Today with Hoda & Jenna, they spoke with Saturday Night Live’s Mikey Day, and Jenna shared that Hoda was leaving in January.
Day seemed as if he hadn’t heard the news and jokingly acted outraged about Hoda’s departure.
“When?!” he asked, with Jenna saying “January 13” and Hoda saying “January 10.”
“Oh God, earlier than I thought,” Jenna said, seeming disappointed.
During the joking around, Day walked off the set as if he was leaving the interview but then returned.
Hoda called out Jenna’s Gayle King mentions during Today interview
Jenna told Day, “There’s a chair open” for a co-host once Hoda leaves. At that point, the SNL star joked about a Jenna and Mikey show.
Things got briefly serious as Day thanked the hosts for always making him feel “special” whenever he was on the show and said he was “mad” that Hoda was leaving.
They brought up Day working with various SNL guests, including the December 7 episode hosted by Paul Mescal and musical guest Shaboozey.
“Do you like Shaboozey? Gayle King loves Shaboozey,” Jenna randomly said.
“See what she’s trying to do? She’s shading me. She brings up Gayle 10 times on our show,” Hoda explained.
Jenna joked that she had some unresolved anger about Hoda’s departure.
“I’m having some abandonment issues with her leaving, so today, Gayle King is the way I’m dealing with those,” Jenna revealed.
“Jenna and Gayle!” Day proclaimed jokingly.
Soon after, Jenna reminded him he wanted to be part of Jenna and Mikey as the show title.
In an earlier moment on the show, Jenna called King her “bestie” and seemingly called for the CBS star to take Hoda’s spot.
“There’s a seat open,” Jenna said during the broadcast, with Hoda firing back, “My seat isn’t even cold yet!”
Gayle King is among morning show stars on competing networks
Weeks ago, Hoda revealed she was leaving NBC’s Today to embark on other paths in her life, including spending more time with her adopted daughters, hosting her podcast, and writing more books.
That big announcement had many viewers curious about who would take over Hoda’s role.
In November, news arrived of Hoda’s replacement in the Today lineup, as regular Craig Melvin would become co-anchor alongside Savannah Guthrie.
Meanwhile, King remains a regular on CBS Mornings, appearing as one of the show’s main anchors and hosts alongside Vladimir Duthiers and Tony Dokoupil.
It appears that Jenna repeatedly name-dropped King to playfully joke about her co-host leaving. However, King interviewed Shaboozey weeks ago for CBS Mornings, and she also enjoys his music.
Jenna probably wouldn’t mind King leaving CBS Mornings to join her as a co-host in the Today lineup. King is also friends with some of Today’s stars.
There seems to be love and respect amongst those who appear as anchors and hosts on the competing networks’ morning programs.
Monsters and Critics reported earlier this year that ABC, CBS, and NBC morning show stars attended a milestone birthday celebration for Today’s Al Roker. CBS’s King and ABC’s Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts joined Today stars at the bash.