‘Jenna & Friends’ Guest Speaks Out On Losing Role To Sheinelle
The Today Show was left in turmoil when co-host Hoda Kotb left the news program in January 2025 to spend more time with her family. In addition to the first two hours, she co-hosted Hoda & Jenna with Jenna Bush Hager.
Jenna Bush Hager welcomed a rotating list of celebrity co-hosts while NBC hunted for the perfect replacement. They recently announced who was replacing Hoda Kotb. Now, a Jenna & Friends guest host broke their silence about losing out on the permanent role and revealed they knew months before the official announcement.
Jenna & Sheinelle First Air Date
Sheinelle Jones has been with the Today Show since 2014. She was promoted to co-host the show’s third hour in 2019. The news anchor took a long leave of absence for nearly a year while her husband battled brain cancer. He passed away in May. She returned to the show in September.
Now, she’s leaving the third hour behind to join Jenna Bush Hager as the co-host on Jenna & Sheinelle. The show premieres on Monday, January 12, at 10 a.m. Eastern.
Jenna & Friends Guest Host Speaks Out About Losing The Role
In the months since Hoda Kotb left, Jenna Bush Hager has been joined by a slew of guest hosts, including her own family members. Former E! News host Justin Sylvester joined her many times and was a popular choice as permanent host. E! News was canceled earlier this year after over 30 years on the air, leaving Justin Sylvester without a job.
According to Page Six, the former E! News host knew long ago that he wasn’t getting the Today Show gig. Justin Sylvester revealed how it all went down during a recent chat with Jeff Lewis.
“I was disappointed that it was not you that was announced. They said that ‘this person is exactly what this show is about, Sheinelle.’ So I guess you were not…what the show was about. Um, it’s a little harsh, I feel like they threw you away like E! did,” Jeff Lewis said to Justin Sylvester.
The Jenna & Friends guest co-host responded, “Um, honestly, I knew that I was probably not getting that job in September. I came to a very quick realization that I’m going to use this opportunity to find another job, and I told you that in August…September.”
He added, “I also had a psychic tell me my intuition was right about that, so I had given up the job long before.
@pagesix Justin Sylvester has known for a while that he wasn’t getting the “Jenna & Friends” co-host job 👀 🎥: Jeff Lewis Live
Fans Have Mixed Reactions To New Host
NBC picking Sheinelle Jones as co-host isn’t a huge surprise. But some fans were disappointed it wasn’t Justin Sylvester.
“I thought maybe Justin but he seems more west coast and has his own thing. Plus I’ve always gotten vibes like he doesn’t really like her,” one fan wrote on social media. The Today Show films in New York City.
Another fan added, “I LOVE Justin, I wish it was him. I like their dynamic together and he’s hilarious.”
While Justin Sylvester’s fans were upset he didn’t get the permanent hosting job, he didn’t seem too disappointed.
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