Country star Walker Hayes serenaded Hoda with “Wednesdays,” a song the pair wrote together, as part of her final show.

“That song, by the way, I was talking to Walker on a podcast,” Hoda said, “And we talked about how life is full of the exclamation points: ‘It’s a girl! She said yes! You won!’ And sad days: ‘He didn’t make it. You have cancer. It’s over.’”

“But I said, most days are just Wednesdays, regular days,” she continued. “If you love your Wednesdays, you’ll love your life.”

Jenna suggested listening to the song, but then Hayes walked out, guitar in hand, and performed the song live for Hoda.

“By the way, I feel like that’s what I love the most about our show,” Hoda told Jenna and Hayes. “They’ve just been like, Wednesdays — every day has been a good Wednesday.”

“And it’s been a pleasure of a lifetime to be next to you,” Jenna replied.

Hoda chatted with Hayes on her “Making Space” podcast in the lead-up to her last day. In the episode, which on Dec. 18, she shared how excited she was to walk her daughters to school.

“It’s funny,” she said. “When I was mentioning here that I was going to leave the TODAY show, one of our producers came upstairs in the makeup room, and she said, ‘I want to say something to you.’ She goes, ‘My mother walking me to school every day was the best memory I’ve ever had.’

“And all I want to do is walk my kids to school. And it’s the simplest thing, with a cup of coffee, walking your kids to school. But all the little things, you get to see growth.”

Hoda’s former fourth hour co-host Kathie Lee Gifford made a surprise appearance on TODAY in honor of her last day on the show on Jan. 10.

After showing a video in which Kathie Lee said she was in Tennessee, Jenna said it was all a lie. Kathie Lee stepped out in the studio, leading Hoda to scream out loud, “Oh!!!”

“I love you so much that I was thinking to myself, ‘I sure hope Kath comes,” Hoda said.

After breaking into song, Kathie Lee reflected on what it was like to sit next to Hoda on TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda from 2008 to 2019.

“You took away fear,” Kathie Lee. “You proved to me that you are a fearless person.”

TODAY contributor Donna Farizan then brought out large glasses of wine, and Kathie Lee sent Hoda off with a toast.

“I’m sending you off with a prayer,” she said, before reading a verse from Jeremiah. “May you walk into the most joyful, prosperous, purposeful time in your life.”

Back in September, Kathie Lee reacted to the news of Hoda’s departure from the show.

“Bittersweet news as my dear friend @hodakotb steps away from the Today Show,” Kathie Lee said in a post on X. “Her warmth, laughter, and incredible spirit have brightened our mornings and touched countless hearts. Here’s to new adventures!”

Her post included two photos of the pair smiling and laughing from when they hosted the fourth hour of TODAY together.

Hoda Kotb reads emotional goodbye letter to viewers on TODAY

Hoda read a goodbye letter to you — and you, and you, and you and all her many fans — on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna, touching on her entire TODAY arc and its emotional impact on her.

Read it below in full.

“This is not a goodbye letter. This is a love letter, a love letter to you. It’s actually kind of a thank you note as well. So how do I say it? How do I say thank you for more hugs and more love than one person deserves.

“Sixteen years ago, I sat next to Kathie Lee, and she changed my life. She chose me. And truth be told, I was scared. I had never done anything like this before. I was a hard news person, a date line person, and then one day, she called me Hoda woman. I ripped off that news corset. We pulled up, poured ourselves a glass of wine. And so it began.

“It went from Hoda woman to Hoda mama. When Haley was born, I held Haley, and you held me. You supported me, the cards, the comments, the letters, I read them all, and then Hopi came too.

“A new era started with Jenna Bush Hager, six unforgettable years uncontrollable laughter and pure friendship. Isn’t she so hilarious? I can hardly even say her name without laughing out loud. But that is not the part I fell in love with. I fell in love with her tears, her vulnerable, lovable self, and as I say to her in my cards to her, you’re all mine and we’re all ours

And along and along the way, you invited me into your lives, your triumphs, your special moments and your celebrations. Having a front row seat to all of this truly helped shape who I am. Thank you so much for letting me be part of your journey.

“When I turned 60, you threw me one hell of a party. I reached the mountain top so high on that day, I knew in that very moment, there was no greater peak.

“I have become who I am on this hour of this show, and you are there with me every step of the way.

“So as I sit here today in my final moments, on this final day in this chapter of my career, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my very full heart for the ride of a lifetime. I love you.”

Jimmy Fallon moonlit as a morning show guest to surprise Hoda for her last day on TODAY.

The “Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” host joined the show to give Hoda a present: a framed piece of red carpet from the elevators in Rockefeller Center, complete with the Peacock NBC logo.

Fallon said he titled it “Onward and Upward,” because Hoda is “getting on the elevator and going up.”

He added the piece is small enough for Hoda to hide it in a closet, but easy enough for her to pull it out when he comes to visit her, leading Hoda and Jenna to burst into laughter.

Hoda said that some of the most fun times she had in the building was when she was sitting next to Fallon, and Jenna added that he was one of the first guests on TODAY With Hoda & Jenna.

Hoda’s kids, Haley and Hope, then called out from the audience what they call the late-night host: “Uncle Jimmy!”

Hoda made an appearance on Fallon’s nightly show in October to discuss her futureIn honor of Hoda’s last show, Jenna wrote her a letter about the time they’ve spent together as co-hosts of TODAY With Hoda & Jenna. Read the full letter below:

Dearest Hoda,

Five years …. more than 1500 shows … 90,000 hours … 9,000 commercial breaks filled with Shaboozey, Beyoncé and constant laughter and soul-affirming conversations. From Vegas to NOLA (three times!) from Austin to Quebec … to our home — this home Studio 1A which will always be ours. Mine and yours.

From a global pandemic … to two maternity leaves!

Five children … I’ll never forget sitting in your dressing room telling you I was pregnant with Hal … then a month later you FaceTimed me introducing me to baby Hope. They were right on time!

Hope, what word … a feeling you’ve given so many … hope to live their purpose, to whisper their dreams (even if just to themselves!) to create their own families.

Hoda, you have been a teacher.

You have taught me to find the joy in the small: the stupid lemon hack that doesn’t work! The hilarity of answering the social D’s for Jo and Tom and Sally.

You have taught me that a polar plunge doesn’t mean actually plunging. That delight can come in the form of a minivan with electronic doors! How to create a HIT Christmas song (it charted if only for a day!) That an apple is a perfectly good baby present!

You have taught me to look really look into the eyes, the hearts of our guest … and listen, really listen!

And now, my dearest — you are teaching us the most important lesson of all — how to say goodbye with grace. This isn’t just any Hodini … driving off with my purse still in your car — you have been able to sit in the glow of the goodbye! Viewers have traveled miles, from other states to declare their love on poster board, every single guest has gotten to share their “Hoda story:” how you have made them feel seen, and heard.

Thank you Hoda for everything you have taught me, everything you’ve given me: all the hugs, all the heart all the laughs, all the love.

I will miss you my friend but I love you and am so proud!

Love always and forever,

Jenna

Hoda’s “lookalike” Gayle King stopped by for her last day. Hoda once said on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna she gets mistaken for the CBS Mornings host frequently.

“I’m dying here,” Hoda said, laughing, when she saw King.

Speaking to Hoda, King said the same thing happens to her. In fact, on her way to the show today, King said she was mistaken for Hoda.

To commemorate the mix-ups, King came with a gift: A shirt with both of their faces. Below Hoda’s is her name and below King’s are the words, “Not Hoda.”

“It is such a compliment to be confused with you,” King said.

She commended Hoda for retiring “on her own terms.”

“I wanted to be her to cheer you on,” she said.

Hoda and King then shared a hug and parted. “I love you,” Hoda said.

Hoda turned 60 last year and King recently celebrated a milestone birthday of her own. Her best friend Oprah Winfrey threw her a surprise bash for her 70th.