Regis Philbin Courted By Kathie Lee For ‘Today’

Kathie Lee Gifford — reportedly terrified she’ll be cast aside in the wake of Hoda Kotb's huge promotion on NBC’s 'Today' — is begging old TV partner Regis Philbin to team up with her again!

The National ENQUIRER has learned from sources that the worried wine-slurping New York–based host of 'Today'’s fourth hour jetted off to California for a very public West Hollywood dinner to coax the TV icon — who starred with Kathie Lee on 'Live!' for 15 years — to “come back on the air with her.”

Kathie Lee is hedging her bets since her former 'Today' sidekick Kotb has been promoted to the show’s co-anchor job and will leave the fourth segment very soon, insiders say. “The first two hours of 'Today' are the most demanding,” said the source. “Plus, Hoda has a toddler at home that she wants to be with."

“Kathie Lee fears the network might try to pair her with mean girl Megyn Kelly, who is pure Nielsen-rating poison. She’s totally against that move,” the source insists. So she turned to octogenarian Regis as “a solution NBC might just go for because people will tune in to see them together.”

Meanwhile, Regis hasn’t agreed — yet. “He’s intrigued by the offer but he has had a series of health problems,” says the source. Still, crafty Kathie Lee has created a buzz about their possible rematch by inviting Regis to dine at Craig’s eatery in L.A., where photogs hang out and snapped them together.

“She is trying to get people excited about them,” says a friend. “She is very savvy and knows exactly what she is doing.” [Kathie Lee (right) as Regis, with Regis, during the 'Today' 2016 Halloween broadcast.]