Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb on co-hosting 'Today': 'It just clicked'

Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Savannah Guthrie and new Today co-host Hoda Kotb say they instantly "clicked."

The broadcast journalists said in a joint interview on Wednesday's episode of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon that they're focused on the "positive" following Matt Lauer's dismissal from the NBC morning show.

"Savannah and I started anchoring together, and it was just weird," Kotb said. "It was like if you've ever met a friend and had, like, a great moment where you say to yourself, 'Wow, that was so much fun. That works.' I think we had an instant thing."

"It just clicked," Guthrie agreed. "It felt so good. We're so happy."

Kotb, who previously hosted Today's fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford, was promoted to co-anchor this month after Lauer was fired in November following allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace.

"It was a difficult time for the show, no question," Kotb said.

"It was hard," Guthrie added. "[But] something really lovely and positive has happened. I think that's where we're focused."

Guthrie and Kotb are the first female co-anchors in the show's 66-year history. The pair bonded over dinner Jan. 6 after Kotb was announced as Guthrie's new co-anchor.

"It's ladies night and the feelings right," Guthrie wrote at the time.