What Kathie Lee Gifford Gave Jenna Bush Hager When She Handed Over The Reigns At Today

Source: People

Kathie Lee Gifford gave her Today replacement Jenna Bush Hager a special gift prior to her first official day on set. Hager, George W. Bush and Laura Bush’s daughter, debuted alongside Hoda Kotb this week but got so distracted she forgot to talk about Gifford’s gift.

“[Kathie Lee] left me a bracelet that says, ‘Your joy is non-negotiable,’” Hager revealed. “I can’t believe I forgot. What is wrong with me!”

Hager’s first day on the job was a complete success and had a fair share of emotional highs. This includes a secret video from her parents, both of whom said they could not be more proud of her. Even Hager’s husband, Henry, got in on the action and made a surprise visit with their little ones, Mila and Poppy.

NBC previously confirmed that Hager is replacing Gifford as a full-time co-host on the fourth hour of the show. According to Pop Culture, Gifford opted to leave the popular show to explore different projects. Shortly after the announcement, Hager released a note on social media about how excited she was to start her new job as a Today co-host.

Apart from Gifford’s gift, Kotb also welcomed Hager to the show with open arms. Kotb told fans that Hager has been the “perfect fit.” She also praised Hager for being a real person who is not afraid to tell people what she things. Hager may have just started on Today, but she has clearly already made a good impression.

As far as Gifford’s last day is concerned, she pretty much went out with bang. At one point during her final segment, she played a game with Kotb where they had to guess how many glasses of wine they had consumed over the past 11 years.

With John Cena serving as the host of the trivia game, Kotb guessed right that they had drunk around 5,300 glasses. For Kathie Lee Gifford, it seemed like they had drunk at least double that amount.

Fans can watch Jenna Bush Hager in action when Today airs weekdays on NBC.