Savannah Guthrie reveals when she found out about Hoda Kotb leaving ‘Today’ show and what Kotb told her that was the main reason for her leaving that’s not what she told the public…see more

Savannah Guthrie discovered Hoda Kotb was leaving the “Today” show just days before she announced it publicly on Sept. 26.

“It was the Monday before the world found out and she called me because I had had the day off and I was traveling,” Guthrie, 52, recalled to Us Weekly in an interview published Friday.

“She called me and the first thing I said to her is, ‘I’m proud of you. I love you, you’re amazing. And it doesn’t matter where we sit, we’ll always be by each other’s side.’”

The journalist wasn’t too surprised by Kotb’s decision to leave her co-anchoring position because she said they “had this discussion for years and years.”

“We’re dear friends and we have a lot of similarities,” she added. “We’re basically in the same phase of life.”

While Guthrie told Us Weekly she was “so sad” for herself and the show because they’re losing “irreplaceable” Kotb, she confirmed she is “happy for her as her friend.”

“I just think she’s being so creative and so bold and stepping out into this amazing new future that she doesn’t exactly know what it will look like,” she gushed. “She believes in herself and she knows and she hears that call. I find that to be incredible.”

“On the surface, it’s the same show and we’re still a news show where we’re covering the news and then doing fun things in the later hours,” Guthrie continued.

“But I love our connection and I love our partnership and I’m really proud of it. In many, many ways, it was effortless.”

“It’s pretty easy to love Hoda and it’s easy to trust Hoda. She’s such an incredible journalist as well as being a ray of sunshine.”

It’s unclear what the future holds for Kotb professionally, but an insider told Page Six ahead of her big announcement that she hopes to spend more time with her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 4.

“It’s heartbreaking for everyone, but Hoda wants to be able to walk her kids to school,” the source said.

When Kotb emotionally announced her impending departure from “Today,” she said she really began analyzing her life, achievements and what she wants in her future ahead of her 60th birthday in August.

“I decided this is the right time for me to kind of move on,” she explained. “And so with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world.”

Kotb has been with NBC for 26 years and took over Matt Lauer’s spot as a “Today” co-host in 2017 amid his serious sexual harassment allegations.

She also hosts the third hour of the show with Kathie Lee Gifford and then Jenna Bush Hager.