Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb will ring in the New Year with “A Toast to 2016!” but the duo is already looking forward to what will come in 2017.
“We are excited for 2017 to begin. It is a chance for new fresh beginnings, and no matter how your year went, we all want that at the very beginning of a brand new year,” Kathie Lee told TheWrap. “To set things right if we wronged someone, a chance to lose those five pounds that we tried to lose for the last five years, stuff like that, it’s like a psychological kick in the butt.”
The two-hour New Year’s Eve primetime special from NBC News highlights the best and buzziest stories from the past year, but Hoda agreed with her co-host, saying there is “nothing better” than a clean slate.
“Someone says you can begin again today and that is really what it is. I am with Kathie, whatever is in the rearview mirror it is over, be here now baby,” Kotb told TheWrap.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Bublé, Simone Biles and Dana Carvey will join the “Today” show co-hosts to help recap the events of 2016.
“A Toast to 2016!” will feature other personalities including Katie Ledecky, Jaimie Alexander, Chrissy Metz, Howie Mandel, Harry Connick Jr., Nick Gehlfuss, Melissa Rivers, Ana Gasteyer, Wanda Sykes, Lil Rel Howery, Amber Stevens West, Maria Menounos, AJ Calloway, Brad Goreski, Chris D’Elia, Brent Morin, Taylor Kinney, Frankie Grande, Lisa Lampanelli, Carson Kressley, David Alan Grier, Loretta Devine, Andrew Rannells, Loni Love, Lester Holt, Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, Willie Geist, Tamron Hall and Dylan Dreyer.
“A Toast to 2016!” airs Saturday, December 31 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.