As co-hosts of TODAY’s fourth hour, Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford were known for their funny chemistry and lighthearted conversations.

“Kathie Lee definitely has a playful side, but that’s just one facet of her personality,” Hoda said of her dear friend on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on September 24.

“I remember when Kathie Lee was here, people thought she was totally crazy, but in real life she was 90 percent serious and 10 percent kind of crazy,” Hoda said.

Hoda and Kathie Lee co-hosted the fourth hour of TODAY for eleven years from 2008 to 2019.

During their time on the show, they grew closer and both have spoken openly about their close friendship over the years.

In late 2018, when Kathie Lee announced her impending exit from the show, Hoda reflected on Kathie Lee’s lasting impact.

“I always felt like sitting next to you was like a master class in this broadcasting business because nobody, nobody, nobody does it like you do,” Hoda said. “Nobody has ever done it and nobody ever will. You are all alone. And I think it’s all contagious. Your fearlessness is contagious.”

Hoda also said that she felt safe working with Kathie Lee.

In an interview on iHeartRadio’s “Just B with Bethenny Frankel” podcast in 2023, Hoda recalled something Kathie Lee’s late husband Frank Gifford told her about working with his wife.

“He said, ‘You have to trust that someone is going to catch you when you fall, and she is the most trustworthy person I’ve ever met in my life. And if you’re anything like that, it’s going to work because she’s going to catch you,'” Hoda said. “And you know what, she did. Over and over again.”

Kathie Lee also shared what Hoda meant to her when she announced her departure from TODAY in 2018.

“You start sharing life together, and the friendship is broadcast on the radio. We weren’t colleagues for long – we became friends, and now we’re going to be friends for the rest of our lives, and I’m thankful to God for you,” Kathie Lee told Hoda in a tearful conversation.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com.