Today Show Cast Crisis!
TODAY SHOW CAST CRISIS!
Jenna and Sheinelle’s tension fueling anchor’s away talk!
Sheinelle Jones May Be Running Out of Tomorrows on the Today Show.
The hard-working news anchor has clashed repeatedly with the show’s long-standing anchor Jenna Bush Hager and insiders say if that continues, she’s bound to be shown the door.
The Daily ENQUIRER was the first to report friction between the two very different women, and now insiders say the friction may lead to a change in the cast.
The latest clash occurred when it appeared that Sheinelle was about to break a confidence by revealing details of an off-air meeting between the members of Mumford & Sons and the two anchors during a recent broadcast.
But Jenna stopped her cold and appeared to jump all over her cohost, abruptly barking, “and we’re not saying that. Remember? I got a text that said, ‘Don’t say that.’ ”
Viewers have complained about their chemistry, with some calling the pairing painful to watch — and insiders say things are even worse off the air.
“The fundamental difference is simple: Jenna sees the show as entertainment. She wants big celebrities, authors, travel, fun experiences and the kind of warm, personality-driven television that makes viewers feel like they are sitting in the room with her,” one NBC insider tells The ENQUIRER.
“Sheinelle is a journalist. She wants to break news, ask tougher questions and bring more reporting into the hour.”
They also took very different paths to Today, with Sheinelle working her way up, breaking stories in smaller market jobs, and Jenna arriving carrying the famous name of her father — former President George W. Bush — and all of the access that comes with that pedigree.
“Sheinelle has had to fight for every seat at the table,” a source spills. “Jenna was born at the table.”
Show sources say NBC also knows exactly what it has in Jenna: a recognizable brand, a powerful book franchise and a host who fits naturally into celebrity and lifestyle television.
“If producers have to pick a side, they will pick Jenna because she is best friends with Savannah Guthrie and Savannah is the boss of NBC news,” a television executive says.
“That would mean Sheinelle is moved, reassigned and ultimately pushed out.”
The tension has reportedly been an issue with executives, and sources say that if it continues, it will threaten the family-friendly reputation of the brand and lead to changes “before the end of the year.”
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