Hoda Kotb to Depart NBC's ‘Today’ Show
Hoda Kotb, co-host of NBC’s “Today” show, announced on Thursday that she will be leaving her position early next year. Kotb, a prominent figure on NBC, has been co-hosting alongside Savannah Guthrie since 2017, following the departure of Matt Lauer due to allegations of inappropriate behavior.
During her emotional announcement on “Today,” Kotb shared, “It was time for me to turn the page at 60. I’ve decided this is the right time for me to move on. My daughters, whom I adopted later in life, deserve a bigger piece of my time.”
Regarded as a vital part of the “Today” show’s fabric, Kotb not only co-hosts the first two hours but also leads the 10 am “Hoda & Jenna” talk show. She described her decision to leave as “the hardest decision of my life,” emphasizing her desire to spend more time with her young daughters.
Kotb joined NBC in 1998 as a correspondent for “Dateline” and became the co-host of the 10 am hour of “Today” in 2008 with Kathie Lee Gifford, a role she held until Jenna Bush Hager took over in 2019. Guthrie expressed her reluctance to see Kotb leave, stating, “We don’t want to imagine this place without you... It’s complicated because we love you so much.” However, she also acknowledged Kotb’s courage in choosing to leave at the height of her career.
Kotb’s departure signifies one of the most significant shifts in morning television in over a decade. Shows like “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America” are highly profitable and remain cultural staples, even as the overall broadcast industry contracts. Network executives tend to manage transitions cautiously due to the high stakes involved in ratings.
In a letter to the “Today” staff, Kotb expressed her gratitude, stating, “Happily and gratefully, I plan to remain a part of the NBC family, which has been the longest work relationship I’ve cherished. I’ll be around. Family is family, and you will always be a part of mine.”
NBC has not yet announced a successor for Kotb and is expected to take its time in making that decision.
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