Kathie Lee Gifford & Hoda Kotbe: Daytime Divas At War

Today show best buds Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb — after years of sipping wine and joking on air and socializing off camera — are at each other’s throats!

Locked in a ferocious feud fueled by jealousy and crushed feelings. Kathie Lee is fuming at new parent Hoda for snubbing her in favor of her new mommy gal group and also kissing up to NBC’s new star newsgal Megyn Kelly. Meanwhile, Hoda is green with envy after learning wannabe actress Kathie Lee has been plotting to ditch their morning show team for sitcom stardom.

“They’ve had a huge falling out,” snitches an insider. “Sure, they smile for the cameras, but it’s all fake. When their segment is done, Hoda goes one way and Kathie Lee another.” That’s a far cry from their previous relationship. As previously reported by The National ENQUIRER, the gals made swilling wine and gossipy chatter a trademark of their morning segment on NBC.

An insider said Hoda was “dumbfounded” when she discovered Kathie had been “pitching ideas” for shows to Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen, who is also a bigwig producer. “Hoda was blindsided when Kathie let slip her secret meeting with Andy,” says the source. “When Andy guested on Today, Kathie blabbed about their undercover meeting, outing Andy for failing to call her back. Andy was really embarrassed, but Hoda was furious. She’d been left in the dark!”

Kathie Lee has also been talking to Ricky Gervais, creator of The Office, about starting a new show. “Kathie started out wanting to be a big TV star and her huge dreams are still alive and kicking,” notes the source. “But Hoda can’t believe Kathie Lee would plot behind her back to dump her for greener pastures.”

The catty quarreling began when Hoda became a mom, adopting baby girl Haley (center, amid Today hosts) in February, and freezing out Kathie Lee. “Hoda has culled her friends and is only keeping in touch with people who either have new kids or can help her career,” says a second source. Kathie Lee is especially hurt because “she was there every step of the way” during Hoda’s adoption. “She even thought she’d be asked to be godmom, but to virtually ditch her for a whole new group of friends has really upset her,” the source adds. “Hoda’s even stopped drinking. Kathie’s extremely hurt and when she’s tipsy her anger explodes.”

Kathie Lee’s fury erupted when limelight-stealing Megyn came onboard. Hoda moved her dressing room to an upper floor, where she now “hobnobs with Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie (at right in photo, with Hoda, supermodel Carol Alt, and Megyn), while Kathie Lee is stuck down below,” notes the insider. She also seethed when “the news anchors took Megyn out for a welcome meal,” reveals the spy. “Hoda went with them. No one thought to ask Kathie Lee.” Hoda is reportedly desperate to be part of Megyn’s crowd.

Ironically, “her sucking up to Megyn is exactly what Hoda used to do to Kathie Lee when they first started working together,” says the source. Hoda and Kathie Lee used to leave the NBC studio together to go shopping or grab dinner. “Now Hoda heads home to her daughter on most days,” says the source. “They used to share everything — tragedies, birthdays, anniversaries — but that’s in the past. They don’t speak off camera anymore. They don’t seem to have anything nice to say to each other.”