Jenna Bush Hager shares her dating journey while hosting her new show, reflecting on her past as a child bride and her excitement for the future.
Austin: Jenna Bush Hager just kicked off her new gig as the lead host of *Today With Jenna & Friends*. It was her first time doing the show without Hoda Kotb, and she was feeling all the nerves.
The show started with a fun skit in her dressing room before she welcomed Taraji P. Henson as her first guest host. Jenna gave herself a little pep talk in the mirror, saying, “You got this!” She even joked about being nervous, comparing it to her days in a Texas production of *Les Mis*.
But everything went smoothly as they chatted with guests like Christian Soriano and mental health expert Jillian Turecki. Later, Jenna opened up to Taraji about being in her “dating era” for the first time, especially since she’s looking for a new co-host after Hoda’s retirement.
She’ll be hosting with various celebrity co-hosts, including Scarlett Johansson and Keke Palmer, until she finds her perfect match. Jenna joked about her past acting skills and how proud she is of the show she built with Hoda.
Reflecting on her past, she mentioned, “I was a child bride, getting married at 26.” Hoda used to tease her about that, and Taraji agreed, saying, “Yeah, that’s pretty much— that’s a child.”
Jenna added, “So, I haven’t really dated. This is kind of my dating era and you’re my first date. I’m blushing.” Taraji will be back to co-host again soon, and *Today With Jenna & Friends* airs weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.
