In a heartfelt announcement on Thursday, September 26, Hoda Kotb revealed her decision to leave the Today show permanently, leaving viewers and her co-hosts emotional. “At 60, I felt it was time to turn the page and explore something new,” Kotb shared with Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker, Craig Melvin, and Sheinelle Jones during the episode.
Celebrating her 60th birthday in August, Kotb reflected on a moment when she felt at the peak of her career. “I thought, ‘This is it for me,’ and I realized it was the perfect time to move on,” she explained. After spending 26 years at NBC, the anchor expressed a desire to spend more quality time with her children, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. “I want to give them a bigger slice of my time pie,” she said, acknowledging the fleeting nature of time.
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Despite the excitement about her next chapter, Kotb admitted it was a tough decision. Her co-hosts shared in her tears, with Guthrie stating, “Those tears are love; you are so loved.” Kotb’s departure struck a chord, prompting emotional responses from her colleagues as they reminisced about the bond they shared.
“It’s incredibly brave to leave at the top of your game,” Guthrie continued, expressing pride in her friend’s courage. “We’ll always be friends,” Kotb reassured them, playfully adding, “I’ll just haunt you in your lives.”
Although Kotb will be leaving her co-hosting duties after five impactful years—and 18 previous years with Kathie Lee Gifford—she plans to remain with Today until early next year and will continue at NBC in a different role, though specifics are yet to be disclosed.