Hoda Kotb has announced her departure from the “Today” show after serving as a co-anchor for six years. She communicated her decision in a letter to the show’s staff on Thursday, expressing mixed emotions about the choice. “As I write this, my heart is all over the map,” Kotb remarked, adding, “I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s a painful one.”
Kotb began her career with NBC News in 1998 as a correspondent for “Dateline” before joining the “Today” show in 2007. She became a co-anchor in 2018 alongside Savannah Guthrie, following the firing of Matt Lauer amid sexual harassment allegations. Together, Kotb and Guthrie formed the first all-women anchor team in the show’s history.
In her letter, Kotb conveyed her appreciation for her colleagues, mentioning Guthrie, Jenna Bush Hager, and Al Roker, referring to them as her support system during her time on the show. “Savannah: my rock. Jenna: my ride-or-die. Al: my longest friend at 30 Rock,” she wrote.
During Thursday’s broadcast, Kotb revealed that her decision was influenced by her recent 60th birthday. She expressed a desire to embark on new experiences, stating, “I realized that it was time for me to turn the page at 60, and to try something new.”
Kotb intends to dedicate more time to her two daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. “My broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead,” she noted. “And now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie.”
She will continue on the “Today” show until early 2025 and will remain with NBC, though she did not disclose her future plans. NBC has yet to announce who will fill her co-anchor position once she departs.