Kathie Lee Gifford Dines With Regis Philbin Amid Rumors NBC Wants Him To Replace Hoda Kotb

Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford reunited this week for a special dinner date. The outing comes amid rumors that NBC wants to hire Philbin to replace Hoda Kotb, who took over Matt Lauer’s old segment on Today. Will Philbin and Gifford reunite in front of the cameras?

Gifford And Philbin Reunite

According to Radar Online, Gifford and Philbin were spotted eating dinner at a restaurant in West Hollywood called Craig’s. NBC is reportedly thinking about hiring Philbin – who co-hosted Live! with Gifford for 15 years – to replace Kotb, though those rumors have not been confirmed.

A source claims that Gifford is pushing for Philbin because she doesn’t want to co-host with Megyn Kelly.

Inside Gifford And Kelly’s Feud

An insider revealed that Gifford wasn’t happy when NBC forced her to share a studio with Kelly during the Winter Olympics. Gifford felt like the network should have made Kelly move into her studio instead of the other way around. NBC reportedly decided to save a little money, though it sounds like their plan backfired.

To make matters worse, Kelly’s show has been plagued with low ratings and controversies, and everyone on set is tired of dealing with her antics.

“Everyone is sick of bending over backward for Megyn,” the insider explained. “Kathie Lee has been with the show longer and yet Kelly is treated as the star. God forbid Megyn should pack up her dressing room and move.”

Who Will Replace Kotb?

There has been a lot of speculation over who will replace Kotb now that she has taken Lauer’s old post. Aside from Philbin, there are some rumors that Kris Jenner could be Gifford’s new co-host.

A source revealed that the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star is heavily pushing to co-host alongside Gifford, who believes they would make the perfect team. There’s little doubt that Jenner could bring in big ratings, and even her children think it’s a great career move.

Does Jenner Have What It Takes To Co-Host?

Jenner has some experience hosting on television. Her first hosting gig was back in 2013 when Fox hired her to run the talk show, Kris. The show only lasted six weeks because Jenner failed to drum up enough ratings. She was also heavily criticized for lack of enthusiasm in front of the cameras, something that she will have to fix if she plans on hosting a major show on NBC.

Fortunately, Gifford can help in the charisma department and Jenner wouldn’t have to take on the entire load.

Jenner And Gifford Are Longtime Friends

Gifford and Jenner have been friends for a long time. The two originally met when Jenner was married to her first husband, Robert Kardashian. They are such good friends that Gifford is Kendall Jenner’s godmother. If the two ladies team up in front of the cameras on Today, there’s little doubt that they’ll share great chemistry. Whether or not NBC execs approve of the casting, however, is yet to be seen.

NBC has not commented on the casting rumors. It isn’t clear when or if the network will find a new co-host for Kathie Lee Gifford. Hoda Kotb is currently doing double segments on the show.