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Kelly Rowland and Hoda Kotb
CNN –
Hoda Kotb hopes to see singer Kelly Rowland back on “Today with Hoda & Jenna” soon.
The “Mea Culpa” star left the NBC studio last week before a scheduled appearance to fill in as Kotb's co-host on “Hoda & Jenna” while Jenna Bush Hager had a day off, but Kotb said so on the episode of the Show on Tuesday She only has “love” for Rowland.
“I have great love and admiration for Kelly Rowland,” Kotb said. “I adore her and want her to appear on our show again.”
Rowland, who appeared as a guest on an earlier hour of “Today,” reportedly left the studio before her co-host appearance after expressing her displeasure with the dressing room provided to her.
Without directly confirming the reports, Kotb said Tuesday that when Rowland returns to her show, she will be able to use her dressing room.
“We’ll do it together,” Kotb said with a laugh. “I just want to say we love her. We’ve loved her on this show for many, many, many years.”
CNN has reached out to Rowland's representatives for comment on the matter.
Singer Rita Ora stepped in for Rowland as Kotb's co-host, saying Tuesday that Kotb “came in at the last second and really did a phenomenal job.”
“We have great women on this show,” she added, and Hager nodded in agreement.
In a strange turn of events, Rowland appeared on Monday's episode of The Sherri Shepherd Show and appeared to be well taken care of — at least according to an Instagram comment Shepherd left on her show's official page.
“Oh we gave her a beautiful room!” Shepherd wrote in the comments, responding to a user who commented on his guess that Rowland's dressing room was “acceptable.”
It remains to be seen whether Rowland will return to Hoda & Jenna.
Meanwhile, Kotb and Hager jokingly agreed during Tuesday's show that Hager won't be allowed to take another day off until 2026.