TODAY host Hoda Kotb has opened up about the experiences she had early on in her career.

The beloved anchor spoke about her journey as she celebrated her 25th anniversary of being at NBC.

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Hoda Kotb reflected on her 25 years of working at NBC during a talk with Jenna Bush HagerCredit: ABC

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The star explained that when she started out at Dateline ‘nothing was right about her’Credit: ABC
During the Hoda & Jenna show, the 58-year-old reminisced about her early days in journalism.

Hoda shared: “It’s been such a fun 25 years and I wondered why in any relationship you have, whether it’s a relationship with a friend or a boyfriend, or even in a job, you wonder how does it not feel like all those years?

“And I think it’s because it kept changing. Everything was changing, like I worked for Dateline for many years and loved it. When I first got hired I felt unworthy of that job.”

She continued: “I remember them saying: ‘Change your hair, change your clothes, change this change that.’ Nothing was right about me.

“I sort of felt like I was putting a circle in a square, trying to fit, you know how you do.”

Jenna asked: “And now how does it feel 25 years later?”

Her co-host responded: “When lighter fare came along like this show, the bosses were very sort of – early on – against me getting it, they were just like ‘not her, she’s boring, don’t pick her, you can try other people but not her.'”

She later added: “I was so busy trying to be right, trying not to mess up, trying to be perfect. I didn’t realize imperfections actually make something work better.”

CELEBRATING HODA

At the beginning of the segment, the Today stars spoke about Hoda’s 25th year with NBC News.

On Thursday, Hoda jokingly mentioned that her mother brought up the achievement in conversation.

She said: “I have to tell you. I was totally shocked!

“In fact, my mom texted me. She took a screengrab and said: ‘Oh wow! 25!”

Jenna, 41, added: “How amazing is that?”

Another milestone was also marked on Friday: the fourth anniversary of Hoda and Jenna coming together to host the third hour of Today.

To commemorate the occasion, the co-hosts shared a clip package of some of their favorite moments.

After the feature concluded, Jenna noticed a particular quirk in the montage.

“I’m kind of embarrassed how much we cry,” she said to her partner, as both, of course, fought back tears.

Hoda responded: “I think when there’s something that’s real, that you’re not pretending, it’s easy.”

Jenna tacked on: “It’s the best,” with Hoda echoing her saying: “This is the best.”

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Jenna explained how she’d learned that being perfect didn’t matter, and that ‘imperfections’ were a good thingCredit: Getty

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The co-anchor shared that her time with NBC had been ‘such a fun 25 years’Credit: NBC

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Hoda and Jenna also marked four years of their joint show, and looked back on their time together