Celebrity Extra: Hoda Kotb
By Dana Jackson
Q: Have they said who will replace Hoda Kotb on the “Today” show after she leaves? -- A.Y.
A: When Hoda Kotb announced at the end of September that she would be leaving the job she's held for 17 years with "Today," it came as a shock to her fans, but probably not her co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager. Now the mother of two young girls, Kotb recently purchased a home away from Manhattan in the hopes of spending more time with her daughters while they're still in elementary school.
Hoda Kotb ("Today"). Photo Credit: Courtesy of NBCUniversal
According to Us Weekly, an NBC insider hints that the top contender to replace Kotb is weekend "Today" anchor Laura Jarrett. Other possibilities include Craig Melvin or Carson Daly. Since Kotb isn't departing until early 2025 and will remain part of the NBC network in some capacity, there's still several months to determine who will fill her chair.
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Q: What happened to the "Charlie Brown" holiday specials? I miss seeing the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas ones on regular TV. I haven't seen them in a couple years. -- E.B.
A: The "Peanuts" holiday specials started airing on Apple TV+ in 2020 as part of an exclusive deal with the streaming service. Previously, these classic shows were a part of CBS's holiday programming since 1965, so it's understandable that viewers are upset with the move to streaming.
Fortunately, each year, Apple TV+ offers days where nonsubscribers can watch the specials at no cost. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was made available on Oct. 19 and 20. "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" will be available on Nov. 23 and 24, while "A Charlie Brown Christmas" will be shown on Dec. 14 and 15.
Apparently, creator Charles Schulz wasn't a fan of the Christmas special's finished product, but when it became a massive hit, the franchise went on to create dozens of more specials. However, none of them has achieved the classic TV status that this trio from the fall and winter holidays has.
Visit TV.apple.com for more information.
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Q: I read about the newest "Big Bang Theory" spin-off in the works. Is Jim Parsons going to be on it? -- L.L.
A: For those who might not have heard yet, in addition to "Young Sheldon" and "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage," it was recently announced that a spin-off centered around three supporting characters from "The Big Bang Theory" is in development.
According to TVLine, Kevin Sussman (Stuart), Lauren Lapkus (Denise), and Brian Posehn (Bert) have all inked a deal with HBO's streaming service Max for the new yet-to-be-named series, "which is suspected to revolve around Stuart's comic bookstore."
When he was interviewed on "Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?" Parsons stated that he has no plans now to appear on the new series, but that he "would never say never to anything because life just changes so much."
Parsons, who served as an executive producer and narrator of "Young Sheldon," the prequel sitcom about his "BBT" character, reprised the role onscreen for the series finale.
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