HODA SHEDS TEARS OF JOY

Happy to leave Today mean girls in her wake

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BELOVED Today show anchor Hoda Kotb wiped away tears when she announced Sept. 26 that she was leaving NBC's a.m. news juggernaut, but in reality, she is thrilled to be getting away from her backstabbing co-hosts, Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager! And while Savannah and Jenna acted like they were devastated Hoda was exiting the show, sources say they are happy to see her go! Hoda, 60, claimed she was quitting so she could spend more time with her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. But the truth is "Hoda is deeply relieved to be out of that Mean Girls scene," a source spills.

Hoda, who's been the co-host of Today's fourth hour since 2007, has been Savannah's co-anchor in the 7 a.m. slot since she replaced Matt Lauer in January 2018, when he was fired after a career-ending string of sexual harassment and abuse allegations, which he denies.