Longtime TODAY co-anchor Hoda Kotb will appear on the show for the last time Friday, months after the host announced on live television that she was planning to step down from her role.
A fixture of NBC News for nearly three decades, Kotb previously worked at "Dateline," and later as the co-host of the fourth hour of TODAY with Kathie Lee Gifford and then Jenna Bush Hager.
As her last show approaches, here's what to know.
When is Hoda's last day?
Kotb will say goodbye to her morning duties Friday, Jan. 10.
Who is replacing Hoda Kotb on TODAY?
Craig Melvin, who has been with NBC News for nearly 14 years, is moving into the co-anchor seat alongside Savannah Guthrie for the 7 and 8 a.m. hours. He will begin Monday, Jan. 13.
Why is Hoda leaving TODAY?
Kotb said she had the realization during her 60th birthday celebration on the show.
"I have some news," Kotb said holding back tears as co-anchor Savannah Guthrie held her hand. "So I was doing the math, and I realized that I had spent 26 years at NBC. And I just turned 60."
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
Kotb went on to say her milestone birthday was a "monumental moment."
"I started thinking about that decade," Kotb said. "Like, what's that decade going to mean, what does it hold for me, 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 noted a specific moment where she knew she had to make a decision.
"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."
Kotb added that her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope 5, factored into the 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," Kotb said as she wiped away a tear.
What is Hoda Kotb doing after TODAY?
Ahead of her final TODAY appearance on Jan. 10, the co-anchor — who announced in September that she would be leaving the morning news show after 17 years — has given more insight into what her next chapter holds.
“I am starting a wellness app and company that will involve retreats and a podcast and all kinds of things that we can get together, do things that I love,” she said on the Jan. 6 episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show." “It's not like going to Mexico with your girls, which is fun, but this is something that when you leave, you'll go like, ‘Oh my gosh. I feel transformed. I feel different.’”
And while the 60-year-old shared she’s still “in the building process” of that company, she also admitted her new venture came about after initial doubts about the wellness space.
'Time for me to leave the show'
Kotb also shared an emotional letter with TODAY staff on Sept. 26, about her decision to step down, TODAY.com reported.
The full letter can be found below:
To my TODAY family,
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. 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.
My time at NBC has been the longest professional love affair of my life. But only because you've been beside me on this twenty-six-year adventure. Looking back, the math is nuts. 26 years at NBC News - Ten years at Dateline, seven on the seven o'clock hour, sixteen on the ten o'clock hour. I'm picturing your faces and your families and all the ways you've lifted me up and inspired me. That's my heart singing. So many of my professional relationships have become some of my most cherished friendships. Savannah: my rock. Jenna: my ride-or-die. Al: my longest friend at 30 Rock. Craig, Carson, Sheinelle and Dylan: my family. Libby, Mazz and Talia: my fearless leaders. I will miss each and every one of you at TODAY desperately.
I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while – Am I truly ready? 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. I will miss you all desperately, but I’m ready and excited.
Because I’ll be working through the beginning of 2025, there’s plenty of time to talk about what's ahead for all of us. But one thing I know for sure right now is this: everything’s going to be just fine. The Peacock’s feathers are never ruffled… no matter who comes or goes. TODAY and its amazing people — all of you — never waver. You always weather change with grace and guts.
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.
Love,
Hoda
