Hoda Kotb stunned viewers by saying her upcoming exit from the Right now present after 17 years on Thursday, September 26, and behind-the-scenes chatter about her substitute has already begun. “The massive contender who everybody on the community is speaking about is Laura Jarrett — she has a very robust likelihood,” an NBC insider completely tells Us Weekly . “She’s the anchor of Weekend Right now ; she is a lawyer like [Kotb’s coanchor] Savannah [ Guthrie ].

She’s a darling on the Right now present who has risen up in a short time. “ Laura, 40, whose mom, Valerie Jarrett , served as Barack Obama ’s senior advisor throughout his administration, has labored for NBC Information since 2022. She turned coanchor of the Right now present’s Saturday protection in September 2023, changing Kristen Welker .

One in every of her most memorable on-air moments got here in Could when she broke the information that former President Donald Trump had been discovered responsible of 34 felony counts for falsifying enterprise information. Laura learn all 34 counts reside on air. Whereas Laura looks like a probable candidate for succeeding Kotb, 60, there are different potential eventualities.

Craig Melvin or Carson Daly , who’re at the moment Right now cohosts, may very well be moved as much as the coanchor spot. Associated: ‘Right now’ Present Hosts React to Hoda Kotb’s Shocking Exit Information of Hoda Kotb’s Right now present exit is bittersweet for her cohosts. .