Kotb, noticing her co-host’s distress, cut in to defend her. “Oh God, don’t, don’t, no, don’t,” she said. “Justine, what happens is it gets in Page Six and then she gets in trouble.”

I totally don’t think she’s kidding! While it’s somewhat unlikely at this point that King will make a sudden jump to NBC for Kotb’s January 10 exit, I do love that her co-host is already thinking ahead as a way to soothe any lingering frustrations over Kotb’s decision to leave

I think you know when you’re pretending, no matter what it is — and you start losing like who you are,” Kotb said.

While Gayle King works for a competing network’s morning program, Jenna Bush Hager wouldn’t mind seeing her join the Today lineup. During Today with Hoda & Jenna, they spoke with Saturday Night Live’s Mikey Day,

Jenna Bush Hager is working through her conflicted emotions over Hoda Kotb ’s upcoming Today show exit. During the Tuesday, Dec. 3 episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager admitted that she was coping with her frustrations by teasing Kotb about journalist Gayle King,