Jenna Bush Hager named as Gifford replacement on 4th hour of ‘Today’

Jenna Bush Hager has been named as Kathie Lee Gifford’s replacement on the fourth and final hour of NBC’s “Today” show, according to an on-air announcement on the network Tuesday morning.

Hager, the younger of former President George W. Bush’s twin daughters, has been with NBC since Aug. 2009 and had been rumored to be the network’s top choice to take the vacant spot since it was announced late last year that Gifford would depart in April.

{mosads}“It feels humbling and I can’t believe it,” Hager said Tuesday morning.

Hager, 37, also shared a congratulatory note she received from her father.

“My dad just wrote me three words, which made me weep. He said, ‘Very proud dad,’” Haber said before joking, “Which I’m like, what is there to be proud about? I’m just drinking wine in the morning!”

The new co-host also thanked her predecessor, saying the 65-year-old Gifford has been a “role model” and “so generous with your time.

“You are beloved here in so many ways and if I can use some of your grace and have a half of what you’ve done, my life will be a very happy one,” Hager said.

“You keep trusting your instincts and you’re going to sit next to the best person in the whole world because she has your back, because she has your heart. It’s going to be fun. You guys are going to have a ball,” Gifford responded.

Hoda Kotb will continue as Hager’s co-host. Kotb replaced longtime host Matt Lauer in early 2018 after he was ousted from the network amid sexual harassment allegations.