The gift that keeps on giving!
Kathie Lee Gifford surprised her former co-host, Hoda Kotb, during the latter’s last day on “Today.”
During the show’s fourth hour, Jenna Bush Hager aired a video message from “a very dear and near” Gifford, who talked about her “beloved Hoda” while apologizing for not being by her side for her last episode.
“I’m sorry to miss your big day, but you know, I’m very busy, very important,” Gifford said dismissively at the end of the video, which sent Kotb into hysterics.
However, as soon as the video message was over, Gifford walked out to a cheering live studio audience.
“Hello, my darling girl! So you fell for that?” Gifford, 71, asked while hugging Bush Hager, 43, and Kotb, 60.
Kotb admitted she “wondered” if Gifford would show up because she was thinking to herself, “I sure hope Kath comes.”
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“I have a message for you, Hoda,” Gifford said before singing to the tune of Frank Sinatra’s “The Best is Yet to Come,” “The best is yet to come and Hoda, won’t it be fine?”
The New York Times best-selling author then reflected on their 11 years together co-hosting “Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda,” admitting that, at the time, she “wasn’t interested” in doing another morning TV show –– until she met Kotb.
“I fell in love with Hoda at lunch in this building,” Gifford recalled. “We closed down the Rainbow Room!”
Before “Today,” Gifford co-hosted “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” with Regis Philbin for 12 years.
“The one thing I had in common with you, and with Regis –– two very, very different people –– I look forward every single day to being with you both. I did. I said, today, I’m going to be with Hoda. It’s going to be fun because you are sunshine in a bottle.”
Kotb also thanked Gifford for getting her out of her shell and transitioning from a serious “Dateline” correspondent to a fun-loving co-host.
The former co-hosts –– who were known for drinking wine and cocktails in the morning –– ended their segment with Gifford sharing an emotional final toast to Kotb.
“I think what I want to send her off with, which is what she knows from my heart means the most to me, is that I’m sending you off with a prayer,” Gifford began while her voice cracked.
Raising her glass, Gifford told Kotb, “May you walk into the most joyful, prosperous, purposeful time in your life with those previous daughters that I watched come into your life –– what a blessing that was. I’ll never forget it, and once those babies came, I knew it was a matter of time, she ain’t gonna be here long! So, bless you, my dear friend, I love you so much!”
Gifford was referring to Kotb’s two daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, who watched their mom from the audience.
The three women wiped away tears while clinking their glasses filled to the brim with white wine before taking a sip.
During the segment, Gifford also revealed she no longer drinks wine despite indulging in the alcoholic beverage early in the morning for years.
“I don’t drink straight wine,” Gifford spilled. “Not for months and months and months. I do all spritzers. It’s just too much.”
Gifford was among a handful of celebrities who surprised Kotb for her emotional last day on “Today”‘s fourth hour. Jimmy Fallon and Gayle King each presented her with gifts, while country singer Walker Hayes sang a song he and Kotb wrote together.
Earlier in the morning, Kotb received special messages from Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Maria Shriver and Simone Biles.
The long-time host announced in September that she would be leaving both her positions at “Today” and “Today with Hoda and Jenna” after 26 years with NBC.
It was later revealed that Craig Melvin would be replacing her for the first two hours, while Bush Hager will co-host with different celebrities until they find a replacement.
Despite leaving her early-morning gig, Kotb exclusively revealed to Page Six that she will be staying with the NBC family for occasional interviews and the next two Olympics.
“I think it’ll be kind of a Snoop-ish role,” Kotb recently told us, referring to Snoop Dogg being a correspondent at the last games.
“I want to be a supporting character on a team that is already in place so that I’ll come in and just have a role there. And then I’m going to do my ‘Making Space’ podcast, which I enjoy and love so much,” Kotb explained.
“And for the ‘Today’ show, I think we talked about doing something every four to six weeks, just a little something.”
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