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Could Jenna Bush Hager be Kathie Lee Gifford’s replacement?

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

With Kathie Lee Gifford leaving the fourth hour of “Today” in April 2019, NBC has some big shoes to fill.

  • During her on air announcement, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, Gifford indicated she apparently has someone in mind to fill her spot — and could that person be Jenna Bush Hager?
  • Some suspected Hager is that person given her regular role as a fill-in on the show.
  • Her political ideology, though mostly believed to be independent, unlike her more conservative father and late grandfather, still could be a good match to Gifford, who is a self proclaimed born again Christian.
  • The topic of faith and God often comes up on the show, including during Gifford’s tearful announcement Monday, and it’s not something the Kotb necessarily avoids.

Deciding on a replacement is a tough call but here’s some scenarios:

  • Hager, who regularly fills in for Gifford and Kotb on the fourth hour as well as appearing on “Today Third Hour” that replaced the canceled “Megyn Kelly Today,” is already a familiar face to viewers, so having her slide into Gifford’s seat makes a certain amount of sense.
  • However, Hager can be a polarizing personality for some. Not only does her connection to the Bush family ruffle some feathers, but some question her skills as on an air broadcaster.
  • Hager was hired a “special correspondent” for NBC News — and the network followed that up by hiring fellow former first daughter Chelsea Clinton.
  • While she tends to be a bit better with non-scripted segments, there are times when it appears she hasn’t quite mastered reading off a teleprompter.
  • She has little experience covering breaking news, though if major breaking stories develop during the four hour, often NBC cover it with a special report handled by a more experience anchor.
  • It’s also possible that Kotb might be wanting off the fourth hour — she’s already hosting two of the most grueling hours in TV news — a job that requires the ability to glow on camera, deliver both hard and light news and spend hours in production meetings and reviewing materials about guests and topics.
  • In that case, NBC could revamp the entire fourth hour — with or without Hager.

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