When Hoda Kotb left the Today Show in September 2024, it was deeply affected. She and Jenna Bush Hager worked side by side for years, so finding a replacement would not be easy. For the past year, the fourth hour of Today, dubbed Today with Jenna & Friends, has had 60 co-hosts as the team searched for the perfect replacement for Hoda. On December 9, Jenna Bush Hager tearfully announced her new permanent co-host: veteran broadcaster Sheinelle Jones. The news comes as a welcome career move for Sheinelle, who’s had a tough year. She retreated from her time on the air to care for her ailing husband, Uche Ojeh, who died from glioblastoma in May. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TODAY with Jenna & Friends (@jennaandfriends) Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones Can’t Wait to Work Together As Jenna Bush Hager called Sheinelle Jones’ name, tears began to flow. Both women have an infectious spirit that will undoubtedly inspire viewers. After walking out onto the set, Sheinelle told a story about being a kid in church, afraid to sing, and about the congregants encouraging her.   “I can hear those folks now and they’re saying, ‘Let the Lord use you,’” Sheinelle said. Learning that Jenna and Sheinelle will co-host the show made many fans happy. “SHENEILLE IS THE PERFECT CHOICE!!!! She is joy, compassion, beauty, kindness, goodness, love & friendship. I am SO happy to see this!!! What a gift for all of us!” A fan wrote. “Let the Lord use ya!! He sure is Sheinelle and you are showing the rest of us exactly what it means – even though you didn’t choose this journey. We will always root for you!!!” Another person wrote. Sheinelle Jones and Jenna Bush Hager will have a lot of fun together, and as one fan pointed out, their childhoods play a big part in who they are today. “The foundations you lean in when you are child is key,” a fan wrote. This story’s featured image can be found here.