Share and Follow
The Monday morning edition of Today With Jenna & Sheinelle began with a memorable moment as Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford made a surprise appearance, bringing a symbolic “torch” that cleverly resembled a wine glass. This gesture marked the official passing of the co-hosting baton to Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones, who were visibly moved by the surprise.
With tears in her eyes, Sheinelle Jones expressed her gratitude, saying, “It’s really sweet.” Meanwhile, Kathie Lee Gifford lightheartedly advised, “Don’t ruin your makeup!” as she gently teased Jones about her emotional response during the heartwarming segment celebrating this new chapter.
This broadcast heralded the debut of the newly rebranded Today With Jenna & Sheinelle. Sheinelle Jones steps into her new role as a permanent co-host for the fourth hour, following Jenna Bush Hager’s year of hosting with a rotating cast of celebrity guests on Today With Jenna & Friends. Behind-the-scenes clips captured Jones reflecting on the significance of the day, which she described as “one of the best days” of her life, especially poignant after a challenging year marked by the loss of her husband and grandmother in 2025.
“Don’t ruin your makeup!” Gifford told Jones, the first of many comments Gifford made about Jones’ crying during the emotional segment as they celebrated this new era.
Monday’s broadcast marked the very first episode of the newly retitled Today With Jenna & Sheinelle. Jones will be taking over as a permanent co-host on the fourth hour of Today after Bush Hager spent the last year hosting a rotating panel of celebrity guests on Today With Jenna & Friends. Videos from behind the scenes show Jones calling this “one of the best days” of her life after what has been a difficult year for the NBC anchor, who lost her husband and her grandmother in 2025.
Kotb gushed over seeing her former co-host’s new partner in crime. “Can we just say how awesome you two look together? How amazing this day already is? Y’all look so sweet together,” she said.
Jones and Bush Hager gave credit to Kotb and Gifford for building “this institution” together.
“This is learning, by the way, at the seat of the master,” Kotb said on the show. “This is how it works, I learned from [Gifford] and then I was scared to go off on my own, and then I met [Bush Hager] and I was so proud the day you walked out. I’ll never forget it. And now you are welcoming [Jones] and it’s perfect.”
After Kotb later led the group in a toast celebrating “fun” and “sisterhood,” Jones admitted she going to “cry again,” prompting Gifford to try and comfort her in the most iconic way possible.
“But you know what, you’re a pretty crier,” she told Jones, prompting laughs around the studio. “Not everyone’s a pretty crier. But let’s drink.”
Today with Jenna & Sheinelle airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.
