Longtime NBC anchor and fan favorite, Hoda Kotb, has announced her departure from the ‘Today’ show after more than two decades with the network. The emotional announcement was made live on-air, as Kotb revealed her plans to step down at the start of the new year.
“I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new,” Kotb explained. “I remembered standing outside looking at these beautiful bunch of people with these gorgeous signs, and I thought, ‘This is what the top of the wave feels like for me.’ And I thought it can’t get better, and I decided that this is the right time for me to kind of move on.”
According to sources, Kotb’s decision to step back from Today comes after her recent move to the suburbs with her two daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 4. “It’s heartbreaking for everyone, but Hoda wants to be able to walk her kids to school,” the insider revealed.
Despite her departure from the daily program, producers are hopeful that Kotb will remain involved with Today in some capacity, potentially returning for special interviews or continuing her podcast. “We have time to work it out,” the source noted.
Reflecting on her lengthy career, Kotb expressed her deep gratitude for her time at NBC, writing in a letter to the Today staff, “As I write this, my heart is all over the map. I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one. And you all are the reason why.” She continued, “They say two things can be right at the same time, and I’m feeling that so deeply right now. I love you and it’s time for me to leave the show.”
Throughout her career, Kotb has been an integral part of the Today family, co-hosting alongside Savannah Guthrie since 2017 after Matt Lauer’s exit. She acknowledged the profound connections she formed during her time at NBC, saying, “My time at NBC has been the longest professional love affair of my life.”
Kotb’s announcement marks a significant transition for both her and the network, as she reflects on her decades of broadcasting. “I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while — Am I truly ready?” she said. “But, my sixtieth birthday celebration on the Plaza felt like a shift. Like a massive, joyful YES, you are! I saw it all so clearly: my broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie.”
While Kotb will officially leave Today in the New Year, she reassured fans that she will continue to be part of the NBC family, stating, “Happily and gratefully, I plan to remain a part of the NBC family, the longest work relationship I’ve been lucky enough to hold close to my heart. I’ll be around. How could I not? Family is family and you all will always be a part of mine.”
Source: Today