Hoda Kotb Says 'Bittersweet' Goodbye to 'Today' Co-Star That Has Fans in Tears

Today with Hoda & Jenna marked the end of August by saying goodbye to more than just the month, but also a beloved member of the crew. During the Aug. 20 episode of the morning show, co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager bid farewell to executive producer Joanne LaMarca, who departed in order to spend more time with family. The emotional goodbye, which Kotb described as "bittersweet," led to an outpouring of messages of support as the Today show embarked on its new journey without LaMarca behind the scenes.

During the Aug. 20 episode of the morning show, Kotb admitted that she and everyone else who work on the show were "a little bumming today" amid LaMarca's impending departure. Hager credited LaMarca as being "the heart and soul of our show," with both she and Kotb telling viewers, "we love our Jojo." In leading the goodbye to LaMArca, the two co-hosts recruited a little help from country singer Trace Adkins to help send the executive producer off in style. The co-hosts explained that Adkins "is one of Joanne's all-time favorite singers, and he actually sings one of her all-time favorite songs, and that song is 'You're Gonna Miss This.'" Adkins serenaded LaMarca with the tune, with LaMArca later emotionally stating, "I know that I am going to miss this more than I'm going to realize."

The segment proved to be more than just emotional for the cast and crew of Today with Hoda & Jenna, as viewers also shed some tears as they said goodbye to LaMarca, who worked on the show for years. As the Today With Hoda & Jenna social media accounts shared a sweet post marking "a bittersweet day," many viewers took to the comments section to react. Keep scrolling to see what they had to say.