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Hoda Kotb gave Kelly Rowland an official invite to return to Today, after the singer walked off the set of the morning show shortly before she was set to co-host on February 15. “I just want to say this: I have great love and admiration for Kelly Rowland,” Hoda, 59, said on TODAY with Hoda and Jenna on Tuesday, February 20. “I adore her, and I want her to come back on our show, and I want her to host again.”
Jenna Bush Hager said that Kelly, 43, is “welcome anytime” to co-host the show. “Of course she is. She can share my dressing room,” Hoda added, referencing the alleged drama that made Kelly leave the show last week. “We’ll be in it together.”
“But anyway,” Hoda continued, “I just want to say we love her. We’ve loved her on this show for many, many years.” Hoda also gave a shoutout to Rita Ora, who stepped in as Kelly’s replacement, and as Hoda pointed out, “did a phenomenal job.”
Hoda and Jenna also joked about not missing any days of work from now on after the situation with Kelly. “I won’t take a day off until 2026,” Jenna said. “I was gonna say, you’re not allowed,” Hoda jokingly replied. “That’s the last day off for months and months and months.”
Hoda says she has ‘great love’ for Kelly Rowland: ‘She can share my dressing room!’ pic.twitter.com/ax5ZEtv8aP
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@HodaAndJenna) February 20, 2024
Due to Jenna’s absence, Kelly was set to join Hoda as co-host on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on Thursday, February 15. But after Rita took Kelly’s on-air spot at the last minute, Page Six released a report claiming that the former Destiny’s Child walked off the set of the show because of her accommodations. “Kelly and her team were not happy. They did not like the dressing room, so they decided to pull her off the show, leaving Hoda without a guest host for the 10 a.m. hour,” a source told the outlet.
Allegedly, Kelly requested a green room upstairs that was already taken by Jennifer Lopez, who was in the studio promoting her new album This Is Me…Now and musical film This Is Me…Now: A Love Story. Kelly reportedly did not like the dressing room that the TODAY team set her up in, so she left the show, which led to Rita joining Hoda as co-host. One Page Six insider said the debacle “made no sense” and that Kelly is “beloved” at Today. Kelly has yet to address the incident.