When Is Hoda Kotb's Last Day on ? Why the Longtime Host Is Saying Goodbye to the Morning Show — and What She's Doing Next
After a nearly 18-year run on the Today show, Hoda Kotb is stepping away from the news desk.
Kotb announced her departure from the NBC morning show on Sept. 26, 2024, by penning a letter to the cast and crew. A source told PEOPLE that the news came as a "complete surprise" to most people at Today — aside from Kotb's closest co-workers.
"I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one. And you all are the reason why. I love you and it’s time for me to leave the show," she wrote, explaining that her daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine "deserve a bigger slice of my time pie."
Kotb has co-anchored Today's7 a.m. and 8 a.m. time slotsalongside Savannah Guthrie since 2018 and hosted Today's fourth hour at 10 a.m. since 2007 (Jenna Bush Hager joined her in 2019, following Kathie Lee Gifford's exit).
Following her last day on Friday, Jan. 10, NBC newscaster Craig Melvin will step in as Guthrie's permanent co-anchor. Meanwhile, Bush Hager will be "dating" new co-hosts on the rebranded Today with Jenna & Friends, per NBC.
Here's everything to know about Hoda Kotb's departure from Today, including why she's saying goodbye to the morning show and what's next for her career.
Hoda Kotb began her journalism career at NBC in 1998, when she was hired as a Dateline correspondent and reporter. The TV broadcaster pivoted away from covering major world events in September 2007 when she joined Today as host of the show's fourth-hour slot at 10 a.m.
In April 2008, she was joined by co-host Kathie Lee Gifford, and the pair worked together for over a decade. Upon Gifford's departure from Today, Jenna Bush Hager stepped in as co-host in April 2019.
Kotb was eventually named co-anchor of Today's7 a.m. and 8 a.m. slotsalongside Savannah Guthrie in January 2018, a few months after Matt Lauer was fired from the show amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Kotb and Guthrie's pairing was historical as there had never been an all-female anchor team on network television.
"We asked Hoda to step in in the interim, and our thoughts were, 'Okay we’re going to need a man, who will it be?' " Guthrie recalled to PEOPLE in October 2024. "But then it dawned on all of us that this was the most obvious, most sensible and best choice."
She added, "The most exciting thing was, audiences not only embraced it, it never even became a thing. People were ready for this."
While Kotb and Guthrie are the main faces of Today's first two hours, they are often joined by other NBC hosts, including Craig Melvin, Al Roker and Carson Daly.
Kotb is leaving the Today show to spend more time with her kids, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine, whom she adopted in 2017 and 2019, respectively. She shares her daughters with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.
The TV personality announced her departure from the morning show in September 2024 — shortly after turning 60. Kotb's milestone birthday made her reevaluate her priorities as a mother, according to the broadcast journalist.
“I knew that I wanted this decade to be different. I looked at my time like a pie. I was like, this is how much time I get, and now what am I going to do with it and how am I going to carve it up? And I wanted it to be filled with more of them," she told PEOPLE, referring to Haley and Hope.
Kotb continued, "There’s the guilt you carry because you can't be 100% at work and 100% at home. Something has to give if you want excellence. If you're going to be excellent at work, something has to give at home. And if you want to be excellent at home, I mean excellent, and do all the things, something has to give at work. It can't be equal."
In October 2024, Kotb admitted that the decision to leave Today was "terrifying" but also "exactly right" for her family. She later told Seth Meyers that she "will not miss" waking up at 3 a.m. for work to be on the air by 7 a.m.
Friday, Jan. 10 will mark Kotb's last day on the Today show, and the NBC morning show has dubbed the week leading up to her departure as a "Hoda-bration."
The "fun, laughs and surprises" kicked off on Jan. 6 when Kotb was reunited with 70 of her former Tri Delta sorority sisters from Virginia Tech. She was also gifted a personalized painting by one of her favorite authors, Charlie Mackesy.
Craig Melvin will replace Kotb as co-anchor of the Today show alongside Guthrie beginning Jan. 13. He already hosts the third hour of the NBC morning show with Roker, Sheinelle Jones and Dylan Dreyer.
"You are made for this job," Kotb said to Melvin during the on-air announcement in November 2024. "You are literally made for this job. You are that kind of good. You have all the things that this job needs. You're the right person for it."
In preparation for Kotb's exit, NBC has rebranded the Today show's fourth hour. It will now be called Today with Jenna & Friends, andBush Hager will have a revolving cast of guest co-hosts until a permanent co-host is named.
Taraji P. Henson, Keke Palmer and Eva Longoria will be the first "friends" to appear on the show.
Kotb is leaning into wellness in her next chapter. While speaking to PEOPLE in October 2024, the broadcaster revealed that she has plans to launch a wellness app and host retreats.
"I think it would be, number one, fun, and number two, helpful," she said of the project still in its early stages. "It is something that I'm excited about exploring."
She's also ready to fully embrace life with her daughters in the suburbs of New York. The family moved out of the city in late 2024, something Kotb told PEOPLE wasn't an easy choice.
"I want my kids to feel grass on their feet, and play in the yard, and ride bikes down the street, and run up and down the stairs," she explained. "I just see that life for them in this perfect house in this beautiful little town where I know they'll be able to blossom into beautiful, independent, strong women."
Kotb's daily routine will also look drastically different now that she doesn't have to wake up at 3 a.m. for her anchoring job.
"I'm sleeping in," she told PEOPLE when asked what her first day off will look like. "I'm going to go to a 5:30 SoulCycle. I'm going to feed my kids breakfast. I'm going to get a hot cup of coffee. I am going to walk with them to school, which is going to be one of the most amazing things. Small, but amazing."
Hoda Kotb Shares Best Advice She's Received About Change In Her Final Week On 'Today'
Host Hoda Kotb shared a few words of wisdom about change in her final week on Today.
Kotb was interviewing Yasmine Cheyenne, a mental wellness advocate and motivational speaker, about major life changes and New Year's resolutions.
"I think it’s scary to restart," said Kotb, who leaves Today after January 10 to spend more time with her family. "Somebody gave me some good advice once: They said when you are taking a leap or a jump, you have to imagine yourself on the other side.
"It’s almost like imagining what your new life would feel like when you repot or start over again."
Kotb has previously shared how much she looks forward to walking her two girls to school every day. She also expects to continue working with NBC in some form.
"I’ve noticed about myself that I’m more about doing things in community with people," Kotb told co-host Jenna Bush Hager in a discussion about New Year's intentions. "I just decided that I like community better. I go to workout classes—even if I’m not having big conversations, I’m around people who are feeling the same vibe."
Cheyenne, author of The Sugar Jar: Create Boundaries, Embrace Self-Healing, and Enjoy the Sweet Things in Life, said she recommends choosing a word instead of a traditional resolution when considering what you want to cultivate in the new year. That word could be "community" or "abundance," which is what Cheyenne chose for her 2025.
"A friend of mine said her word was 'enough,'" Kotb chimed in. "'I have enough, I am enough, this is enough.' That feels good, too."
Yes, it does. May we all have an abundant, fulfilling New Year.
Read the original article on Southern Living
Hoda Kotb announces she is leaving TODAY: ‘I will miss you all’
Hoda Kotb has announced that she is leaving TODAY early next year, but will remain part of the NBC family.
She tearfully recounted on TODAY on Sept. 26 about how her 60th birthday celebration in August prompted a decision to make a change.
"I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new," she said. "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."
Hoda's intention to spend more time with her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5, also factored into her decision.
"Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have," she said. "I feel like we only have a finite amount of time.
"And so, with all that being said, this is the hardest thing in the world."
She said she will remain with TODAY through early next year, and is going to stay in the NBC family in an unspecified role.
"It's kind of a big deal for me," she said through tears. "I've been practicing so I wouldn't cry, but anyway, I did."
Hoda has been part of the fabric at NBC News for nearly three decades, after previously working at “Dateline” and as the co-host of the fourth hour of TODAY with Kathie Lee Gifford and then Jenna Bush Hager. She and Savannah Guthrie have co-anchored TODAY for more than five years.
"We love you so much," Savannah tearfully said on TODAY. "And when you look around and see these tears, they're love. You are so loved. We don't want to imagine this place without you.
"So it's complicated because we love you so much, and we don't want you to ever go," she continued. "But also I just want to say I am so proud of my friend. You have guts. For someone to leave at the top of their game, to leave something that's wonderful that you love, where it's easy and comfortable and beautiful and fun, and say, 'But I dream bigger for myself into the great unknown.' You have so much guts. You inspire me. I love you."
The TODAY family all shared emotional messages with Hoda on the show.
"It's not over," Jenna Bush Hager said. "I'm going to be showing up at your house like the stalker you are to Zac Brown. I will be there on your doorstep, and we are your friends forever."
"Hoda has a relationship with every single person on this couch in her own way, so I think we're all just kind of wrestling with it inside," Sheinelle Jones said. "But we also know what a dynamic mom you are, and presence you are. And your whole movement with wellness, you are going to change the world. And we know it."
One of Hoda's oldest friends during her time with NBC has been weatherman Al Roker.
"I have never known anybody like you," Al said. "I've known you forever, and I love you."
Craig Melvin also paid tribute to Hoda's genuine friendship.
"People in this business, when that little red light, it goes off, they're different people," Craig said. "We've worked with all these people before. You're the opposite. That little red light goes off, you are exactly like people see you in the morning — just the biggest heart.
"You've been the heart of this show for a long time, and there's no replacing that."
She reflected on all her relationships with those behind the camera and the rest of the staff, plus the TODAY fans who gather every day in Rockefeller Plaza to brighten her morning.
Hoda also shared a letter to the TODAY staff on Sept. 26 about her decision to step down. Read it in full below.
When One Door Closes: Hoda Kotb Sparks Engagement Rumors Days Before Her Today Show Exit
When one door closes… another one pops the question? Hoda Kotb sparked rumors she’s engaged after she wore a ring on her finger — yes, that finger — during a Today show episode.
Kotb first triggered engagement rumors after the Thursday, January 2, 2025, broadcast of the Today show when fans noticed her playing with a ring on her left hand on the finger usually reserved for a wedding or an engagement ring. After the episode, fans took to Kotb’s Instagram comments wondering whether she was back together with her ex-fiance, Joel Schiffman, are back together and re-engaged.
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“Did anyone else notice the ring on Hoda’s left hand this morning? I was waiting for an announcement. At one point she was fiddling with it, sliding it up and down. I was really hoping her and Joel were back together,” a user wrote. Another added, “Yes she definitely is wearing a ring! Maybe she will make the announcement when everyone is back together on air!”
“I noticed on her yesterday while she was broadcasting the Rose Parade with @alroker,” another user wrote. “Yes, I noticed that too and I was waiting for her to make an announcement also,” one user added. “She seemed exceptionally giddy this morning and I thought maybe it was because she’s looking forward to her time off after next week. But then I noticed the ring and I wondered if something else was going on.”
The commenter continued, “Maybe she will make an announcement soon. She seemed to show the ring at one point and then all of a sudden realize that maybe she shouldn’t yet and it seemed as though she was hiding her hand from that point on.”
Kotb and Schiffman met in2013 and dated for six years before getting engaged in 2019. The couple adopted two daughters together, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. Kotb announced that she and Schiffman had split in an episode of the Today show in 2022.
“Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and meaningful conversations over the holidays, and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple,” Kotb said at the time. While Kotb nor Schiffman have confirmed their engagement or the status of their relationship, the two have remained friends. Schiffman even spent the holidays with Kotb and her family, with Kotb sharing several photos over the break of Schiffman and the kids at her home.
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The engagement rumors also come a week before Kotb’s final episode of the Today show on January 10, 2025, after 26 years with NBC. Kotb announced her retirement in September 2024.
“So I was doing the math and I realized that I have spent 26 years at NBC, 16 years on The Ten, and seven years with you. And I just turned 60,” Kotb said on the Today show at the time. “And it was such a monumental moment for me when I turned 60 years old, because I started thinking about that decade,” she continued. “Like, what does that decade mean, what does it hold and what’s it going to have for me? And I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60 and to try something new.”
She continued, “And I think I realized, this was so crazy, but remember our 60th birthday that we had? It was so — like, I can see it. And I remember standing outside, looking at this beautiful bunch of people with all of these gorgeous signs, and I thought, like, this is what the top of the wave feels like for me. And I thought, it can’t get better.”
See who the Today show’s hosts are married to and dating in real life in the gallery below.
Hoda Kotb announces she is leaving NBC's 'TODAY' show
Hoda Kotb will be leaving her role as a co-anchor on NBC's "TODAY" show early next year, she announced in a letter to staff on Thursday.
"As I write this, my heart is all over the map," she wrote. "I know I'm making the right decision, but it's a painful one. And you all are the reason why. 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."
Kotb first joined NBC News in 1998 as a correspondent, regularly appearing on "Dateline." In 2007, she became the inaugural host of the fourth hour of "TODAY," later joined by Kathie Lee Gifford and then Jenna Bush Hager. She also became the co-anchor of the show's 7:00 a.m. ET hour with Savannah Guthrie in 2018. They were the first all-women pair to anchor the news program.
In the letter, the veteran journalist thanked the "TODAY" staff and wrote that her 60th birthday celebration on the show in August was a sign that she was ready for her next chapter.
Kotb said she will be staying within NBCUniversal, though she did not specify in what capacity.
"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," she wrote. "I'll be around. How could I not? Family is family and you all will always be a part of mine."
Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC and NBC, which broadcasts "TODAY."
