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Hoda Kotb is leaving NBC’s ‘Today’ early next year

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Hoda Kotb is leaving NBC's 'Today' early next year

As a long-time viewer of NBC’s “Today,” I have grown incredibly fond of Hoda Kotb over the years. Her journey from local TV to becoming a beloved co-host has been nothing short of inspiring. From battling breast cancer to adopting two beautiful daughters, she has shared her personal milestones and challenges with us, making her feel like a dear friend rather than just a TV personality.

Announcing a surprising decision that could significantly alter the morning television scene, Hoda Kotb revealed on Thursday that she is leaving NBC’s “Today” show.

During the broadcast, Kotb shared her intention with the audience. In a memo to the “Today” team, she mentioned she intends to remain with the network but in an unspecified new position. She plans to depart from “Today” in the early months of next year.

In a memo to the team, Kotb expressed that it’s possible for two things to be true simultaneously, and she feels this strongly at the moment: “I adore you, yet it’s become necessary for me to part ways with the show.

In her tearful remarks on the air, she cited a desire to spend time with her young daughters.

Since 2018, Kotb has been sharing hosting duties on the program with Savannah Guthrie. This role came about following Matt Lauer’s termination due to allegations of inappropriate sexual misconduct. Additionally, she co-hosts the fourth hour of the program alongside Jenna Bush Hager.

In a note, Kotb mentioned that she had pondered leaving for a while, eventually making up her mind after her 60th birthday celebration held on Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan. This is where fans congregate every day to watch the show from the street-level studio.

“My experience in broadcasting has been incredibly significant to me, and as a new decade approaches, my family – my daughters and mother – require more of my attention. Therefore, I’ll be stepping away from my career to devote more time to them. I will deeply miss everyone, but I am also eager for this new chapter.

Hoda Kotb initially joined “Today” as part of the third-hour hosting team, and her role expanded throughout the network over time. In 2008, she took on the role of co-host for the fourth hour alongside daytime TV icon Kathie Lee Gifford. The dynamic duo’s laid-back style created a unique atmosphere that was a departure from “Today’s” usual format and ultimately became a cultural phenomenon.

Throughout her tenure on the show, viewers have witnessed her triumph over breast cancer and go on to adopt not one but two children. It’s common for cast members to discuss significant events, both triumphs and trials, from their personal experiences on the program.

Originating from Norman, Oklahoma with parents of Egyptian lineage, Kotb earned her degree from Virginia Tech before venturing into local television. Following stops in Fort Myers, Florida, and New Orleans, she was recruited by NBC News as a “Dateline” correspondent in 1998.

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2024-09-26 17:01

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