Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker and other 'Today' hosts react to Hoda Kotb's shocking departure

Several co-hosts of the “Today” show reacted tearfully to Hoda Kotb’s shocking announcement that she would be leaving the NBC show on Thursday after 26 years.

Kotb's co-hosts Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones and Craig Melvin all sat by her side as Kotb emotionally announced her departure.

“I just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 because I started thinking about this decade. What does this decade mean? What does it hold? What is it going to hold for me? And I realized that at 60, it was time for me to turn a new leaf and try something new,” Kotb said tearfully on Thursday's show.

Shortly after the news was announced, all of the co-hosts exchanged a few words, also speaking through tears.

“We love you so much, and when you look around and see those tears, it's love, and you are so loved, and honestly I don't think any of us can imagine it — we don't want to imagine this place without you,” Guthrie began in a whisper, tearful voice.

Guthrie – who co-anchors the first two hours of the newscast with Kotb – admitted that the decision was “complicated” because they love her and “don’t want [her] to ever leave.”

“But I also want to say I'm so proud of my friend. You have guts. Someone who leaves at the peak of their career, leaving something wonderful that you love, where it's easy and comfortable and beautiful and fun, and says, 'But I'm dreaming even bigger for myself in the great unknown.' You have so much guts. You inspire me, I love you,” Guthrie said.

Guthrie, 52, continued the sweet sentiments, sharing an Instagram reel from the morning show and writing, “Oh, Hoda. All the tears for you. Out of love and joy and most of all gratitude for this beautiful soul who has light, warmth, kindness and faith – in abundance. I love you with all my heart, dearest Hoda. We will always be by each other's side. ❤️.”

Bush Hager – who co-hosts “Today With Hoda and Jenna” with Kotb – then brought some humor to the intense conversation by joking that it's “not over yet” because she's going to “show up at your house like a stalker.”

“We are your friends forever,” Bush Hager, 43, added sweetly.

Weatherman Al Roker, meanwhile, seemed more emotional and simply told her, “I've never known anyone like you, and I've known you forever and I love you.”

Sheinelle Jones, the co-host of the show's third hour, chimed in and told viewers that the entire group was a “family.”

“Hoda relates to every single person on this couch in her own way, so I think we're all wrestling with that internally, but we also know what a dynamic mother you are and what a presence you have and what a movement for wellness you have. You're going to change the world, and we know it, so we're still here,” Jones said.

Kotb shocked her fans by announcing that she would be leaving the NBC family after 26 years.

“I've decided it's the right time for me to move on. And despite everything, this is the hardest thing in the world. I won't be here after the first of the year. I'll stay in the NBC family, but it's a pretty big deal for me,” she said through tears.

Before Thursday's emotional segment, a source told Page Six that Kotb made the decision after moving to the suburbs of New York City with her two daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 4.

“It's heartbreaking for everyone, but Hoda wants to be able to take her children to school,” the insider told us.

However, the same source told us that she still hopes to stay on the show in “some capacity.”

“We have time to sort this out,” the source said.

Kotb recently moved to the suburbs after previously raising her young daughters in NYC. Earlier this month, she even made the trip to accompany them to their first day of school, gushing about how “normal” it felt.

The broadcast journalist first joined the NBC family in 1998 when she worked as a correspondent for “Dateline NBC” and other NBC News platforms.

She finally joined the fourth hour of “Today With Hoda and Kathie Lee” in 2008. Kathie Lee Gifford left the show in 2019 and Bush Hager took her place, creating “Today With Hoda and Jenna.”

In 2018, Kotb became the official co-host of “Today” alongside Guthrie after Matt Lauer was fired over allegations of sexual misconduct.