Hoda Kotb celebrates Daytime Emmy nod with playful jab at Kelly Clarkson amid rumor of talk show takeover

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hoda Kotb stirred up laughter and a bit of playful controversy on Monday, July 14, after delivering a cheeky jab at fellow talk show host Kelly Clarkson during a segment of ‘TODAY With Jenna & Friends'.

The moment came as Kotb and co-host Jenna Bush Hager discussed their Daytime Emmy nomination and set their sights on dethroning Clarkson, who has dominated the category for five consecutive years.

Hoda Kotb jokes about overtaking Kelly Clarkson 

“Let me tell you something, this is our last hurrah,” Kotb, 60, said on-air. “This is happening. Kelly Clarkson, who is what I’d like to say — no, I’m kidding. We love Kelly so much. We love her. But it’s our turn. As I’ve said to Jenna, we’re gonna go get her. G-I-T E-R.”

Bush Hager, 43, matched Kotb’s confident energy. “Hoda, listen, we’ve never won one, but this could be our year,” she said. “The last time’s the charm.”

Clarkson has taken home the title of Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host for five consecutive years. This time around, the competition includes fellow nominees Drew Barrymore, the husband-wife duo Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa, and Jennifer Hudson.

Hoda Kotb fuels speculation about taking over Kelly Clarkson’s show

The Emmy tease comes amid swirling rumors about Kotb possibly stepping into Clarkson’s shoes on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’, as speculation grows around the singer’s potential departure from daytime TV.

While speaking to Andy Cohen on ‘Watch What Happens Live’ last month, Kotb offered a cryptic, open-ended answer when asked about future hosting gigs.

“My whole thing with talk shows and all that stuff is that I’m a never-say-never person,” she said. “You don’t know what life is gonna bring you”

Kotb shared that she's “having such fun with the ride that she’s on … at this moment,” but “TV is (her) first love.” She also took a moment to praise Kelly Clarkson, calling her “in a class all by herself.”

Though she later dismissed the rumors in a separate 'TODAY' appearance, calling the reports “not true.”

“If I ever came back to TV... do you know the only place I would ever come back to?” she said at the time. “Right here. There’s no place like home.”