Long-time NBC journalist Hoda Kotb is stepping away from her role on the “Today” show. The 60-year-old anchor, who has been with NBC for 26 years, made the emotional announcement on Thursday morning.
In a heartfelt letter to the “Today” staff, Kotb expressed the difficulty of her decision. “I know I’m making the right decision, but it’s painful,” she wrote. “I love you, and it’s time for me to leave the show.”
Kotb explained that turning 60 prompted her to reflect on her life and career, leading her to move on and spend more time with her daughters, Haley, 7, and Hope, 5. “I just turned 60, and it was such a monumental moment for me… I realised it was time for me to turn the page,” she said during an in-person announcement with her co-anchors, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, and Sheinelle Jones.
Though Kotb will be leaving “Today,” she plans to remain part of the NBC family, where she’s worked since joining as a correspondent for “Dateline” in 1998. “Family is family, and you all will always be a part of mine,” she wrote.
Kotb first replaced Matt Lauer on “Today” in January 2018 after his dismissal over sexual misconduct allegations. She currently co-anchors the first two hours of “Today” alongside Guthrie and co-hosts the 10 a.m. show “Today with Hoda and Jenna.”
Kotb’s extensive broadcast journalism career began in 1988 in Illinois, followed by stints in Florida and Louisiana before she joined NBC. She also hosts the podcast “Making Space with Hoda Kotb” and had a SiriusXM radio show from 2015 to 2022.
Kotb will remain with NBC until early next year, marking the end of a significant chapter in her career.
